Intertwined
by FFegni
Summary: AU. In a world where our heroes aren't SeeD, in a world were they haven't even met yet. In that world they will soon learn that the world still needs them as heroes as fate brings them all togehter.
1. The Reporter

**The Reporter**

"Gathering info is my specialty, Sir!"

That sentence is what got him this job in the first place.

That sentence is also what, in the end, killed him.

Watts is/was a bright young man. With his green bandana, his yellow vest over his crème blouse and his blue trousers you wouldn't say he is the reporter. Most people mistook him for the roadie. While his appearance is not in his advantage, his way with words are.

He can/could find out your deepest secrets in only five minutes after meeting you. It was a skill he used frequently.

He used that skill to learn everything he could about the Sorceress War.

He used that skill to infiltrate in the Galbadian Army.

He used that skill to uncover the secret agenda of the late president of Galbadia, Vincer Deling.

He used that skill to lure many women to his bed, but that is for some other story.

This day Watts was happy to be back in Timber again, his hometown. Later this day he would go see his mother and together they would visit his father's and Zone's father's graves. Afterwards his Mother, Zone and Watts would drink on their fathers before bringing Rinoa along to a small café.

They would have done that if everything went like it should have.

Watts would refresh the audience and tell them about the summit the world leaders will attend. The summit is gathered here to sign the new counterterrorist strategy from President Laguna Loire. He would tell that after the first and second Sorceress War more then five-thousand people have been killed in the rising tide of global terror. With this treaty those lives will not soon be forgotten.

On TV they would switch to live footage of President Loire arriving at the plaza, Watts's voice-over telling some background info about the Sorceress Wars, most particular the role the President played during those wars.

He would have too little time to finish his monologue the way he wanted to, because the Mayor of Timber was approaching the microphone on the middle of the stage and he would scrape his throat before welcoming everyone.

At this time the clock strikes twelve times, and still the Mayor is droning on about the importunacy of this day.

At this time their scheme became messed-up. Nothing happened the way it was suppose to.

The crowd begins to sheer loudly as President Loire approaches the microphone. He wasn't finished with his own speech when a single gunshot sounds through the air.

Instinctively Watts drops down, but when there are no more gunshots he turns around and he is shocked when she sees who has been shot down.

"The President?" Watts murmurs shocked.

"_Talk to me Watts! What is happening?"_

Zone screams through his earpiece but Watts doesn't register anything Zone is saying. His mouth is agape and he is staring at the president. The president, with a bullet in his chest.

"The president is dead?" Watts mumbles over and over again.

"_Watts, grab your-self together. You need to report. Tell us what is happening!" _

Looking straight in the camera he feels like he is speaking to Zone face-to-face. Watts shakes his head slowly and swallows back the lump in his throat before telling Zone softly, "I can't." This scene, the president being shot, this picture reminds him at how he saw his father's murder, here in Timber, not too far away from this spot he is standing at.

"_You have to, it's your job!"_

Zone keeps encouraging for Watts to continue, but Watts is on the verge of breaking down. Zone should know how Watts is feeling, they were in the same shit together, so many years ago.

It is only after Rinoa soft pleading, _"__Watts __please. __Gathering __info __is __your __specialty, __right?__" _Her words help Watts to re-collect himself. Clearing his head he knows he has to do this and he takes one big intake of breath.

He is trying to sound steadfast but his voice is wavering when he tells that, "The president has been shot. I don't know if he is alive or not." He pauses, trying to stop his hands from trembling but it is to no use, they won't stop shaking, and he doesn't think they will ever again today. "We can't get a clear shot of the president," Watts realizes the mistake he made and he swallows back the nauseous feeling before he continuous, "We can't get a good view of the president. He is surrounded by his agents and they are trying to get him off the stage."

The camera-man points the camera to the stage. The federal agents are moving the president away from the stage and Watts urges him to follow them with his camera. The camera-man hesitates, but he turns around and tries to get a better look of were they are taking the president to.

He didn't make it very far.

White flashes of light is the last thing Watts will ever see.

_TBC_

* * *

><p>Next Chapter: The Federal Agent.<p>

Squall is making his appearance in the next chapter, and so do many others. Friends and Foe's.


	2. The Federal Agent

**The Federal Agent**

Closing the last button of his blouse he notices how much his hand is shaking. He balls his fist and forces his hand to stop shaking, but to no avail. Taking a deep breath he knots his tie while checking the view from his hotel room. From this point he can see the plaza where the crowd is waiting for the president to arrive.

His hand reaches for the old wound in his abdomen, an old gunshot wound he caught for the president almost six months ago. It has healed nicely, but whenever he thinks about the president his old wound begins to sting. This can become a burden while it is his job to protect the president. In fact, this is his first time back on the saddle since he saved the presidents life.

Holding out his hand he sees the shaking has almost stopped, and satisfied with the improvement he puts on his jacket. Closing the door behind him he sees his partner, Seifer Almasy, leaning against the wall.

Pushing himself from the wall Seifer asks him, "You alright?"

Squall doesn't say anything and Seifer shrugs his shoulders before walking in step with his partner. "If you can't handle this, let me know now while I can still replace you."

Squall turns angrily around and Seifer holds out his hands defensively, "You know I had to ask."

Was there sympathy in Seifer's eyes? Seifer is one of the few people who know about his connection with the president. President Laguna Loire is his father. Squall has been a Federal Agent for five years and he has been working closely with the president since then. Three years ago, shortly after the Sorceress War, he learned that the president is his father. Laguna explained to him that he had to leave his mother behind in Winhill before he was born, played a huge role in defeating the sorceress but he never returned for his wife and unborn child. Squall's mother died when he was two years and he was raised by a distant niece of his mother. She died six years ago and she told him his father lived in Esthar, so with no other place to go and no other relatives alive he grabbed his belongings and traveled to the other side of the world. He didn't find his father, but he did find a job. But then, three years ago, president Loire had asked him about his mother and in a rare talkative mood he told him everything and Loire had told him in return that he believes that he is Squall's father. After that conversation they had been moving around each other awkwardly for some time until Ellone intervened. He won't call President Loire _dad, _but they have learned how to work together.

"I can handle it."

"Well forgive me for doubting you," Seifer said mockingly while they take the elevator down. Seifer pushes the button for the parking lot and he turns around seriously. "I just need to know you've got my back."

"I have," is Squall's short reply.

Seifer is happy with that answer and his shoulders relax slightly, he really wasn't that comfortable with this black suit, he prefers his grey coat but that is no garb suited for a federal agent on duty.

The elevator doors open and Squall checks the clock, almost noon. Seifer is shouting orders at the other agents while Squall checks his hands one final time, they have finally stopped shaking.

Reassured that he can handle this trip, he steps into the first of three black SUV's heading towards the plaza in Timber.

* * *

><p>The large bells of Timber's cathedral sound twelve times. At the back of the plaza the three SUV's pull to a stop. A red carpet is laid out for the world leaders to parade on, but when Squall steps out of the car nobody is on the red carpet except for them. All cameras, both photo and film, are pointed towards their car. Seifer steps out next to him and they check the perimeter before they walk to the second car which houses President Loire.<p>

After given the all-clear, the president follows Seifer and Squall. Squall checks the roofs of the building at the other side of the street, armed soldiers are looking through their snipers-lenses checking for anybody suspicious.

Walking through the meetinghouse behind the plaza they lead the president onstage next to mayor Dobe. They shake hands and the mayor approaches the microphone, he gives them a welcome-speech at which Squall pays no attention. His attention is focused on the building across where he is standing.

The plaza is being surrounded by the old parliaments building. Five stores high but his eyes are glued on a window at the third floor. The glass slide door is slightly open and the curtains swirl, like they were moved away not so long ago, in a room that is supposed to be empty. He moves his fist to his mouth to speak in the small microphone in the palm of his hands but he isn't sure to call this in or not.

While mayor Dobe is still droning on about the summit Squall checks in with HQ. "Aren't those buildings supposed to be empty?"

"_They are empty, Sir. I've checked them myself. Nobody is left inside."_

He trust Fujin completely, they have been working for three years together, but still, he wants someone to check on that room and he tells her so.

"_I'll check again, Sir. Fujin out."_

In front of the stage the mayor has finally finished his speech and president Loire approaches the microphone. His body is tense and he can feel Seifer looking at him worriedly but he never leaves his eyes from the glass slide door. It doesn't take long for Fujin to reach the room and she tells him what she finds.

"_Someone has left the vent on. The room is clear."_

Relaxing slightly Squall thanks Fujin and his eyes sweep over the gathered crowd. His eyes fall on a tourist with a small handheld film camera; he has just finished his 360 shot of the surrounding buildings. The man is not looking much out of the ordinary, except for the large tattoo on his face, a tattoo he vaguely remembers seeing before, but he can't recall from where. Nor has he the time to remember when a single gunshot flies through the air and hits the president in his chest.

It was like everything happened in slow-motion.

President Loire falls down the ground, next to him Seifer is already moving to cover the president incase there are more shooters but Squall locks eyes with the now shaking tourist still filming the president.

Ordering his limb to move he slowly takes his eyes from the man with the tattoo and he slides down next to Seifer to check on the president. Seifer is shouting orders around while pressing his hands on the bloodied chest of the president. His eyes are closed and Squall wonders for one second if he will see his old man again, but this thought is pulled aside when Seifer's hand touches his arms. His black jacket is now stained with the presidents' blood. "We need to find the shooter." Seifer reminds him while he steps aside to let the medics take care of the president.

Taking a good look around Squall is glad to see that the plaza is almost empty, most of the crowd have run away when they heard the first, and so far only, gunshot. A few of them are still hanging around, mostly to see how the president is doing.

"I want those people out of here!" Seifer screams to two nearby agents Cole and Xing and they try to get the people to leave quietly.

The medics have transported the president away on a gurney and six agents accompany him to the hospital, but not Squall and Seifer.

As if on instinct Squall jumps down from the stage and moves to the tourist. "Have you filmed everything?" He asked and the man nods his head eagerly.

Rewinding his recording Squall is distracted by Seifer yelling at a blond woman who is trying to break free from his grasp.

The woman is screaming at him that there is a bomb under the stage but Seifer doesn't believe her. Seifer is looking at her with a strange look in his eyes which he hasn't seen in a very long time, and it is not his stubborn look.

The man with the tattoo touches his arm lightly and said to him, "Maybe you should listen to her."

Squall looks into his eyes and he sees that he is sincere. He nods his head lightly and he walks to his partner. "Seifer, what if she speaks the truth?"

Seifer looks at him angrily but Squall continues regardless. "If she does, we need to-"

_Tick._

_Tick._

_Tick._

_BOOM!_

* * *

><p><em>TBC<em>

Next Chapter: The Tourist.

Any idea who is next? You can win a cookie if you guess right! It isn't that hard:)

And while you're at it, why don't you leave a review?


	3. The Tourist

**The Tourist**

A native from Balamb, Zell Dincht is enjoying his first vacation off that small island since he can remember. Twenty-six years and he had never been off the island, until now. And when he finally is, he intends to enjoy this time away from his home and his ma, as long as he can. Zell had saved a lot of money for his trip around the world and his first stop was of course Timber, as it is the only train connection to the mainland from Balamb. It was pure luck Zell got here in the same week that all the world leaders were here. He didn't plan on staying long in Timber, but he decided that waiting a few days because the president of Esthar was going to be here, was worth spending some time in this town.

Not many people knew the President Laguna Loire was a film-star before he became the president of Esthar. He wasn't really a film-star because he only featured in one movie, which got some bad reviews, but Zell is one of the few people who knew he did act and he's one of the few who actually liked the movie. One of Zell's most priced possessions is the original video which included an original film poster from over twenty-six years ago. The film was brought out before he was even born but he remembers he watched that movie with his father before he died. If it was possible he would like the president to sign his old video, he couldn't leave without his favorite movie, so he took it with him on his journey across the world.

Before he left his mother had warned him that the world is an expensive place and that if he really wants to travel around the world he needs lots of more money than he had saved. Just like any son he doesn't listen to his mother, until he found out he really should've listened to his Ma. Indeed traveling around the world is expansive, he was only at his first stop and already he had lost a quarter of his savings.

But none of that matter today, today he will finally get to see the president of Esthar and hopefully score an autograph.

Because he has spend the last week in this city he already knows his way around, but if he didn't know his way around he still wouldn't find it troubling to find the plaza the president would speak from, everyone in this city is going to the plaza, so all he has to do is follow the crowd.

Suddenly a woman runs into him and her backpack hits him in the back of his head. She turns around to apologize and Zell almost drowns in her clear blue eyes. The woman is in some kind of a hurry, because before Zell could blink she was already gone and all he sees is her yellow backpack flying through the crowd before him.

Zell strokes the back of his head, where the backpack had hit him, and he is relieved he didn't find any blood and he hopes it won't leave a bump. He wouldn't hear the end of it if his Ma ever found out.

At the next corner Zell is in awe when he sees a hotdog-vendor, never one to resist the smell of hotdog's he buys three hotdogs. After finishing all of his hotdog he licks his fingers and thanks the man before walking further to the plaza.

The cathedral is in his vision and in a few minutes the loud bells will reverberate around this part of the city. Knowing he has to hurry if he wants a good spot at the plaza he doesn't look where he is walking. It goes well until he bumps into someone and while Zell remains standing a small boy is on the ground.

"Are you okay?" Zell asks the little boy while helping him back on his feet. He is checking the boy over and it looks like this little stumble has given him a small scrape on his left knee. Grabbing his small first aid kit he retrieves a small bandage from his box and straps it on the boy's knee.

The boy nods his head after Zell administrated the bandage and he wipes his tears away with his arms. "Thank you." The boy said with a timid voice.

"Where are your parents?" Zell asks the little boy after he put his first aid kit back in his backpack.

A woman comes running their way and Zell guesses this is the boy's mother. "What have I told you?" The woman said angrily to her son while hugging him tightly. "Simon. Don't walk away without me. What if I didn't find you?" Checking her son over she sees the bandage on his knee. "What happened?"

The little boy, Simon, is looking guilty and Zell cannot help but feel guilty too. "That is my fault, I am sorry." The woman looks up to him as if she didn't notice him before. "I wasn't looking where I was going and we ran into each other. Unfortunately little Simon hear is not as steadfast as I am." Zell tried to lighten the mood with a joke and it seems to work. The woman's lip curls slightly up and she shakes her head.

"Well, that's like my Simon." She said while ruffling his son's hair. "I'm Nicole by the way. Thanks for taking care of his knee."

Zell rubs the back of his head and told her it was no trouble. The bells strike and Zell knows he has to hurry or he will miss everything. He searches his pockets for some candy and gives a lollypop to Simon. "Are you going to the plaza too?" He asks them and when the woman with the pigtail nods her head he drags her and her son along. "Let's go together."

A few minutes later he said goodbye to Simon and Nicole. Nicole spotted her friend at the entrance, and although Nicole asked Zell to join them, he had declined her offer and said he wanted to get closer to the stage. Nicole told him she understood and thanked him again for helping her son. She kissed him on the cheek and Zell felt his heart flutter.

Some time later he found himself a good spot, not too crowded and with a good view of the stage. He grabs his video camera and starts recording, he wants to have proof that he saw Esthar's President with his own eyes. He records the stage first but because it is empty he decides to film the crowd instead. His camera moves towards a couple standing near a pillar and they are standing very close as if they are kissing. He feels a bit jealous at this couple, they have each other and he is still single. And it doesn't help that his Ma seems to enjoy telling him that and then she urges him to find someone. Zell wants to move the camera away from them, but something inside of him tells him to keep looking.

The tall man with a brown pony-tail walks away with large steps and the petit woman in the yellow dress remains leaning against the pillar, but she isn't alone for long. A blond woman, in fact the same blond woman who ran into him earlier, seems to say something to the smaller woman before giving her the yellow backpack, he remembers that one, or better said the back of his head remembers that yellow piece of fabric. She turns away with a scolding look but Zell sees she hasn't stepped far away from her.

He follows her with the camera but soon she has blended with the crowd and Zell doesn't see either of them anymore.

The crowds begin to cheer and Zell points his camera back on the stage, just in time for the mayor to begin his speech.

During the long speech of the mayor he decides to film other people on stage and stopping by one of the federal agents Zell sees that he is looking intensely at one single spot. Following his gaze he films the building and he too sees the curtains move behind the glass slide door, he films that window for a short time and he sees a shadow near the curtain. He doesn't know what to think of it but when he looks back at the federal agent Zell sees that he is stance is more relaxed then before, he assumes everything is fine and Zell relaxes too. Turning around on his heels he completes his 360-shot and he is just around when President Loire starts to speak.

Zell points his camera at the president but he looks back at the federal agent, he has the feeling he has seen him somewhere before, but where? He is trying to remember from where but his brain doesn't cooperate. He can see the man is probably thinking the same thing while they are locking eyes and Zell hopes he will have the chance to talk to him before they have to leave for Esthar again, whoever he is. And he will get that chance sooner then he thinks.

A single gunshot flies through the air and Zell has filmed all of it.

**=XXX=**

His hands are trembling while he tries to see what happened with the president. All around him people are running away and he knows he should too, his instinct too is to flee, but somehow he is rooted to the spot, he can't move.

While all people move away from the podium the woman with the yellow dress and backpack is trying to get near the stage. When she reaches the stage she drops her yellow backpack and she turns around and bumps into the blond woman. He can't hear what they are saying and it isn't until he is almost run over by the fleeing crowd that he forgets about those two women and he focuses on the president again.

The federal agent jumps from the stage and asks him hurriedly. "Have you filmed everything?"

Nodding his head he rewinds his recording, he has inkling at what he wants to see. The agent is distracted by his partner who is yelling at the same blond woman whom he seems to see all day.

When she shouts about a bomb Zell almost drops his camera. He touches the federals arm lightly and said to him, "Maybe you should listen to her."

Zell doesn't know what is going on, but he has the feeling this woman knows more about whatever shit is happening here, then anyone else.

Zell hears the federal agent saying to his partner. "Seifer, what if she speaks the truth?"

Zell sees the yellow backpack lying underneath the stage and he knows the woman speaks the truth. Why else would the petit woman throw that bag under the stage, but then why did the blond woman take that bag with her in the first place? It doesn't make any sense.

"If she does," The man continues. "We need to-"

The man couldn't finish his sentence. Maybe he did, but Zell didn't hear the end of it, all hears is an annoying ringing in his ears.

**=XXX=**

Opening his eyes Zell is amazed he is still alive.

All around him people are lying on the ground, dead and alive mixed together on the cold blue bricks that are slowly starting to get red. The agent he had been talking with before is standing over another agent, a piece of wood from the stage pierced his chest. Looking at all the dead people around the plaza Zell has trouble keeping the hotdogs he ate earlier from leaving his stomach. Swallowing thrice he is convinced his stomach has calmed down enough for him to walk around to see where he can help any of the injured people.

He hopes Simon and Nicole are alright.

Kneeling down next to a young woman he feels for a pulse, but sadly he doesn't find any. He closes her eyes and walks back to the agent; maybe he can still help him.

Before he reached him someone bumped into him for the third time that day, _What the….am I magnetic today? _Whoever bumped into him pushes him out of the way and Zell falls down on his knees. Turning his head up he sees who is in a hurry, and he isn't that surprised when he sees the same blond woman again. _That's the second time today she bumped into me. _Something inside of him urges him to follow her, why? He doesn't know, but soon he will whish that he didn't follow her so recklessly.

_TBC_

* * *

><p>Next Chapter: The Police Officer.<p>

Guess who that is! One tip: it's a woman.


	4. The Police Officer

**The Police Officer**

Why couldn't her friend be just as organized as she is? She was already running late when her friend called her and asked Quistis to take her backpack with her. In her hurry Selphie had, of course, forgotten to take her backpack with her and she would need it later. The good friend Quistis is, she told Selphie she would bring her backpack, but that was easier said than done.

While her room is neat and tidy, Selphie's room looks like a bomb has exploded inside. Not only her belongings are spread around the room, but her walls are painted in all the colors of the rainbow in a disorganized pattern. When Selphie had told her she was going to repaint her room Quistis would have never thought that Selphie would fill dozens off balloons with paint and throw them at the walls. While it was fun to help her with re-decorating her room, Quistis is glad she had stopped Selphie from doing the same to the living room.

Pulling away some clothes she finds the yellow lapel of Selphie's much beloved backpack, complete with a moogle keychain. Proud at herself that she found Selphie's backpack, what is almost impossible in this mess, in no more than four minutes, she pets herself on the shoulder before leaving Selphie's room. On her way out she grabs her gun and badge and walks to the plaza.

Their house isn't that far from the plaza and she walks at a brisk pace to make up for the time she lost while searching through rainbow-hell. As you can imagine she didn't pay to much attention at and she didn't see the blond man until she knocked right into him. Well, Selphie's back did the hitting part, but she was stopped to a halt in the progress. Apologizing to the man their eyes lock for one second before she resumes her brisk pace to the plaza. Normally she would have made sure whomever she ran into was fine before walking away, but today she didn't and she doesn't know why she didn't.

At the entrance she shows the officer her badge and he asks her if she is armed. She lifts up her shirt slightly so he can see her gun and he turns off the detector so that she can pass without sounding the alarm. She thanks him with a smile and she spots her friend standing near one of the pillars, but she isn't alone. Her ex-boyfriend is leaning close to her and if she didn't know better she would have thought they were kissing. While she is confused at why he is here, Quistis is glad that he leaves Selphie alone so she can get rid of this heavy backpack.

"What is he doing here?" She asks Selphie while holding out her backpack to her, but not without letting go of its lapels.

"Nothing."

"I thought you didn't want to see him again?" Quistis was relieved when Selphie had decided to dump Irvine, she had never liked that big flirt.

"I didn't." Selphie tugs lightly at her backpack and Quistis releases her hold on it. Selphie slings it over her right shoulder while keeping her eyes on Irvine's retreating back. "We just bumped into each other."

Quistis didn't believe her, but she didn't mention it.

The minutes thick by while nothing happens on stage, but next to her Selphie is looking nervously. "Are you alright?" She asks her friend.

Selphie nods her head and points to the stage, "It looks like you've got to start working."

Indeed, mayor Dobe, has just entered the stage. Thankfully Quistis didn't need to leave her spot to do her job, she was undercover and she had a perfect view from here.

She has heard Dobe's speech so many times the last few days that she could almost recite every single word of it. While she is a cop, she is more like Dobe's personal guard. She was a rookie back in FH, she was fourteen when she had walked away from her adoptive parents and she had made it all the way to FH before she collapsed. Dobe and Flo helped Quistis getting through this rough time by taken her under his wing. The Mayor and his wife became the parents she never had. She was happy in FH until the whole town burned down in flames four years ago. The whole population of FH moved to Timber and again she had to adjust her life. Together they picked up their life again and she had increased in the ranks of the cops fast. While Dobe became the Mayor of this town.

Thinking back about FH still hurts Quistis, the guilt is pushing heavily on her shoulders. Quistis knows she should have done more too safe her hometown, but everyone tells her she did everything that she could. While she is grateful for their support, it doesn't make the guilt go away.

_Nor does thinking about it. _Quistis scolds herself. She needs to focus on her job here, protecting the mayor.

Next to her Selphie is looking quite bored while still leaning against the pillar, but Quistis notices the way Selphie is clutching her backpack. Tense, and is it fear in her eyes?

Before she has the chance to ask Selphie, she hears a single gunshot sizzling through the air.

**=XXX=**

She was glued to the spot when she saw president Loire fall backwards. She felt bad about thinking that she was glad that the president was shot, and not the mayor, the only father-figure she ever had in her life.

But the shot could have been for the mayor, or the next one can be. Taking her gun out of her holster she walks towards the stage but she is stopped by the strong grip of her friend.

"Get out of here," Selphie said to her.

Of course she wouldn't leave, at least not without the mayor and his wife. But the way Selphie told her to go, she didn't like it. "I have to protect the mayor."

"Get out of here," Selphie repeated but Quistis wouldn't hear it.

Quistis shrugs Selphie's hand from her shoulder and she had expected for Selphie to get away from here without her, but she was going in the same direction as she is, towards the stage.

She knows she has to protect the mayor, but there are already enough cops at the stage that they don't need one more. She stops to look around and when she sees Selphie continue on she is curious at what Selphie is doing.

With large steps her petit friend walks to the stage and throws her backpack underneath it.

_What are you doing Selphie?_

Selphie walks back the same way she came from and she walks past Quistis without even looking at her. Quistis noticed the blank look in her eyes and the remote control in her hand.

_What have you done Selphie? What have you made me do?_

Suddenly the realization hit her hard, Selphie had used her. Used her to do something terrible,but it isn't too late yet, she can still undo her wronging.

Running at the stage she wants to slide under it to retrieve Selphie's backpack but she is stopped by two strong arms.

"What do you think you're doing?" His green eyes stare hard into hers and she stares right back at him.

"I'm a Cop, I need to protect the mayor." She hissed back, she wasn't about to tell this man about the bomb. She didn't want anybody to know, she doesn't want anybody to know that _she_ smuggled the bomb inside and that her friend probably made this bomb. Quistis knows how to dismantle a bomb and she is certain she can dismantle this on, but therefore she must be near the bomb. "Let me go."

"I don't trust you," He said. If Quistis could she would have liked to pull her hair out of her head, but the man had her pinned down and she can't move.

She has to hurry if she wants to dismantle the bomb and she knows she can't keep this secret for her anymore. Sighing softly she tells to the blond man, "There is a bomb under the stage, I can dismantle it but you have to let me go!"

"A bomb?" He huffs. "Do you think we are stupid? We have turned this place up-side-down. There is no bomb here."

_Why are all men so stubborn? _This isn't the first time that men don't listen to her, nor will it be the last.

But help came from an unexpected source.

"Seifer, what if she speaks the truth?"

She had the feeling that this man with his stormy eyes understood her, he would listen to her, she knows it. If only this tall blond man with his piercing green eyes would let her go, then she could…

She could….

"If she does, we need to-"

Too late.

**=XXX=**

She should be thankful for the Federal agent's large body, it protected her from the blast of the bomb. Looking around she notices the devastated power of this dirty bomb. The dirty bomb she had, unknowingly, smuggled inside a highly protected place.

She shrugs the man of her and she is glad she can still hear him breathing, he was a pain in the ass but she didn't want to see more people die because of a mistake she made. Well, she would even have thanked him if he wasn't so stubborn. She knows the chance of her to dismantle the bomb in such a short of time would be difficult, but know she will never know if she could or not. Nor will the people who died here today.

Quistis knows she is in trouble, and it would be unwisely to stay here any longer. Dusting herself up she un-holsters her gun and runs away.

But Quistis doesn't see it as running away, she is running towards someone. Someone she believed was a friend of her, she wants to know why Selphie betrayed her trust like this. There must be more to it, she has known Selphie for three years and she has never shown any signs of aggression or revenge or anything. She always has been the happiest person she knows and she would have never thought she was capable of doing this.

She needs to know why, so she runs away from the crime scene to search for her friend.

**=XXX=**

Timber isn't that large a city, but with the summit in town it attracted a lot of people from the nearby towns and all these people make it impossible for Quistis to find her friend.

She stops running at the crossroad, and, if by pure luck, she spots Selphie's well-worn yellow dress. She steps into a van and, to her shock, Selphie's ex-boyfriend is behind the steering wheel.

_What else have you been keeping from me? _

She runs to the van and she tightens her grip on her hand-gun. She slips around the back of the van and she points the gun at Selphie. Selphie looks at her with the same blank look from before and Quistis has the feeling something is terribly wrong with Selphie.

"What have you done Selphie?" Lowering her gun Quistis asks softly, "What is wrong with you?"

Slowly Selphie turns her head and her lips are moving, like she is trying to speak, but no sound comes out. Shocked Quistis takes one step back and Irvine uses this moment to speed away.

As in an afterthought Quistis shoots at the tires of the van, but to no avail. They are gone and they have taken their answers with them. She could have stopped them, demanded them to tell her what happened, but instead she just let them go.

Just another failure to add to her list.

_TBC_


	5. The Sniper

**The Sniper**

_Born and raised on the plains of Galbadia, Irvine Kinneas had only one dream, one dream only. _

_**He would do anything for her. **_

That is what he told her, and he means every single word of it.

_When he was a small boy, he already was the best in what he did._

_**He would do anything for her. **_

She smiles at him and he turns away from her.

_The live of the cowboy is one he loves and the one he wants for himself._

_**He would do anything for her. **_

He doesn't know where his feet lead him, but he knows they lead him to where he has to be.

_Chocobo's are his best friends, and he is theirs. _

_**He would do anything for her. **_

Lately he experiences this feeling more often, like he is watching a movie through his own eyes.

_One day he was riding his favorite Chocobo, when the inevitable happened. _

_**He would do anything for her. **_

Like he isn't in control of his actions and his own body anymore.

_The farm he lived in was destroyed. Along with his parents, little sister and their dog._

_**He would do anything for her. **_

But all those thoughts are being pushed away to the smallest corner of his mind until all he can think about is…

_That's how he came to live in the Orphanage by the sea. _

_**I'll do anything for you. **_

**=XXX=**

Lying on his stomach he is flexing his fingers before he lowers himself again to look through the scoop. His finger hovers on the trigger and his heartbeat is increasing. He evens his breathing and adjusts his sniper one small margin to the left.

His finger closes in on the trigger. One little pull is all that it takes.

_Bang!_

His aim is perfect.

Pulling his finger away from the trigger he knows he has to act fast now. He dismantles his sniper and puts the separate pieces in a bag which he slings on his back.

He recalls the face he saw through his lens, the face off the man he is supposed to shoot death, but something isn't right, he can feel it, but he can't pin-point exactly what it is either.

He cranes his neck before placing his hat on top of his head again and he walks slowly along the fleeing crowd towards the van that is waiting for him.

He slips in the driver seat and waits for Selphie.

He doesn't know how long he has to wait, but every second without her is agony enough.

Quietly she slips in next to him and he is changing gears to drive away but her soft, small hands on his arm makes him stop dead in his track.

If he looked in the rearview-mirror he could have spotted a blond woman with a gun clenched in her hand, but he didn't look through that little piece of mirror. His eyes are on the woman sitting next to him.

The blond woman is pointing her gun at them and she asks Selphie something, but Irvine doesn't register any of this.

Selphie's shifts her head to the right and the blond woman takes a tentative step back.

Irvine's feet push the gas-pedal all the way and before he knows it they are leaving this shit-hole.

He didn't even hear the bullets that the blond woman fired after them.

All he hears is her soft voice.

"_I'll do anything for you." _


	6. The Assistant

**The Assistant**

Rinoa Heartily life hasn't been easy.

When she was almost four her mother, the famous singer Julia, passed away due to a traffic-accident. Nothing was the same after that day.

Her father neglected her, he couldn't face his daughter who looked so much like his dead wife. So instead he jumped into his work and Rinoa didn't see her father much in that time. She was well taken care off but she didn't have any loving parents left. Her father was just a shallow form of its former self.

When she was fifteen she couldn't take it anymore and she ran away from home, which didn't feel like home anymore for the last twelve years. She left Deling-city and found a new home in Timber.

She knew an old friend of her mother lived in this town and she came to live with her. Amy Fry worked at the Timber-News-Station and that is where Rinoa got her first job ever. She worked with Amy and a few other people in a group inside the network, called the Forest Fox.

For years they worked closely together. In those years she had grown much. She had become an independent and bright young woman but still her childish side comes shining through, mostly in the part of her who still holds a grudge against her father. She hasn't spoken to her father for over four years, nor does she think she ever will. The distance between them has grown so big she doesn't think anyone can close that gap again.

When she turned eighteen she got another offer inside the TNS. After she had been working with so much enthusiasm, Zone chose her to complete the Forest Owls group, a group that covered the news from all over the world.

Together they had unraveled the mystery of Vincer Deling and his accomplishment with Sorceress Edea.

That had been their big breakthrough, three years ago.

But all that was in the past and today they were witnesses of the beginning of another breakthrough. A positive change in everyone's life.

Watts is live on TV. In the four years they have been working together he and Zone have become like big brothers to her and she likes being the little sister.

Placing a pencil behind her ear she leans back slightly in her chair and she stretches her arms in the air. Everything is going smoothly.

Let me rephrase that, everything _was_ going smoothly.

A single gunshot and her word is turned up-side down.

Rinoa pinches herself, this can't be happening so she must be dreaming, but the pain in her arm tells her otherwise. This is really happening.

Next to her Zone is shouting to the microphone, "Talk to me Watts! What is happening?"

It's a faint whisper but she can hear Watts mumbling clearly, it's the same question that is spinning inside her own head.

"_The president is dead?"_

"Watts, grab your-self together. You need to report. Tell us what is happening!" Zone is clutching the microphone so hard that his knuckles have turned as white as his face is.

She knows what both Zone and Watts have gone through with their father's deaths and she can only imagine how this picture reminds them off that terrible murder twenty-two years ago.

"_I can't."_

She feels sorry for Watts, but she knows he will have to do something. It's their job to inform people and especially at moments as this the people will want to know what has happened, just like Rinoa herself does.

"You have to, it's your job!" Zone keeps encouraging for Watts to continue, but Watts is on the verge of breaking down. That much Rinoa can see.

She takes the microphone from Zone and said to Watts softly, "Watts please. Gathering info is your specialty, right?"

To her relief Watts re-collects himself, his voice is wavering like she has never heard him talk before.

"_The president has been shot. I don't know if he is alive or not_. _We can't get a clear shot of the president- We can't get a good view of the president. He is surrounded by his agents and they are trying to get him off the stage."_

Sitting at the edge of her seat she hears Watts final words before the screens turn black.

**=XXX=**

She doesn't know how long she was staring at the black screens in the truck, not believing what she had seen.

The president, death.

The reporter, her friend, her brother, death.

She hadn't dared to peek outside, afraid of the deaths she knows she would see.

She knew a bomb had went off.

It wasn't the first time she has felt and seen the effects of such a deadly weapon.

Three years ago she was in Deling City. It had been the fifteenth anniversary of her mother's death. In a moment of longing for a family, a moment of weakness she called that time, she traveled from Timber to Deling, hoping to reconcile with her father. Of course it didn't go as Rinoa hoped at that time. Her father was too busy for seeing her, so she did what her mother used to do. She went to the Galbadian Hotel, down to the bar, and started playing the piano. Eventually she started to play the first tunes of her mother's biggest hit "Eyes on Me" and the lyrics flew from her mouth. The last chord was played and she felt the earth tremble.

At first she didn't know what had happened, but when she went to the center of the city she saw the destruction that the bomb (she didn't know it was a bomb at that time) had caused.

People dying on the streets, soldiers fighting an unknown threat. It was chaos.

Just like it is chaos in Timber.

Just like it is chaos in her head.

She knows in her heart that Watts is gone, but her head refuses to believe that. She turns towards Zone to find some comfort in her other 'big brother', only to find him gone.

Not knowing what to do, she stares back at the black screens. Asking her mother to look after Watts.

**=XXX=**

After hearing a sharp sound Rinoa opens her eyes and she sees that the door is thrown open, a man storms through the door, a phone held stiffly against his ear.

"Communication is gone!" she heard this handsome young man scream through his phone. "Is the eagle safe?"

Eagle? What is eagle? It must be something important though, Rinoa thinks, hearing the urgency in the brown haired man's voice.

"Is the eagle safe!" He repeats, close to yelling.

The answer must be positive as Rinoa sees his broad shoulder's relax and he is releasing his breath in a small puff.

Putting his phone away Rinoa is taken aback by those stormy eyes. The man had to repeat himself twice before Rinoa registered what the man asked of her. "Can you show me the footage of the shooting."

"Of course I can." She replied a bit snappy. "But why should I?" She didn't have a reason to trust this man. While his suite and stance screamed federal agent, she couldn't be sure of it.

Not wasting any time the man showed Rinoa his credentials. Acknowledging his name to memory, 'Squall Leonhart' she pulls the footage to the main screen in the empty truck. "How far back…?" she asks while scrolling back frame to frame.

"Stop!"

Rinoa fingers freeze on the spot, her eyes glued to the screen.

Was that a glimpse of the shooter?

Before she has a chance to ask him he signals for her to continue forward, slowly.

Squall asks her to follow a blond woman who he had been talking to before the bomb went off. The blond woman runs away, not long after her another blond man with a tattoo follows in the same direction. Then Squall and a blond man with green eyes are in the scene, arguing by the looks of it. While Squall walks away, towards the tv-truck they are now in, Rinoa follows the path the other federal agent took.

Green eyes are looking over his shoulder once, twice, before side-stepping into a small ally.

They can see that he's removing his jacket, blouse and tie. He also throws away his credentials in a garbage bin. He puts on a blue shirt and a grey trench coat before accepting a package from a cameraman that joined him in the ally.

A cameraman Rinoa recognizes as Rajin. A man she has seen working with the Forest Fox's lately.

While Rinoa recognizes the camera man, Squall also sees one person he thought he knew.

"What are you doing Seifer?" Squall said softly before leaving the truck.

Rinoa doesn't hesitate, she grabs her purse before following Squall.

Following him into the unknown.


	7. The SeeD

**The SeeD **

It was all happening again.

A single shot is, once again, signaling the beginning of another war.

The president is falling and Xu is fighting her tears, there's no time for those now.

The phone is ringing. One word from the man and she knows what she has to do next.

She thought they had defeated her three years ago, but it seems she has to go through another Sorceresses War. She already knew that one of these days she would have to fight against such a treat again, but she hadn't expected it to be so soon, otherwise she wouldn't have planned this overdue vacation.

Her bag is still lying on her hotel bed, she had only arrived here yesterday and she hadn't even unpacked anything.

She had planned everything; tomorrow she would see Kiros, Ward and Laguna again after almost three years. Then she would go to Esthar and hopefully see her best friend since childhood again.

She walks to her car and waits for her partner to come. He let her wait for some time and Xu's mind drifts back to the time she said goodbye to her friend for the first time.

They had been eleven and they were standing at the abandon railroad when her friend told her she couldn't leave. While Xu understood her friend, she knew that she herself was going, with or without her friend. So they said goodbye and Xu began her long journey to where she is today.

From FH she traveled by boat to Balamb. She had heard about some new school. They were looking for teenagers who had no place to call home. A lot of orphanage enrolled in this new program and so did Xu. Balamb Garden became her home for the next eleven years.

When she was twenty-one she played a huge role in defeating Sorceress Edea, and together with her fellow SeeD and Laguna Loire they had avoided another threat from Sorceress Adel.

Before the war she thought a lot about her friend, Xu had traveled around the world, but never had she heard or seen any sign of her friend.

Surprisingly enough, she found her friend during the war. In fact, her friend is one of the reasons the war had started again, although no one blames her for that, of course.

After being separated for over fourteen years they were finally together again, and now they made sure they kept in contact regularly.

Checking her watch again she wonders what her partner is taking so long, no doubt he had gotten the same message, right?

She doesn't know how long she was waiting when she felt the ground shake.

**=XXX=**

Driving towards the chaos she is shocked at what she sees. She has seen a lot during the war, which was mostly kept out of the media for good reason, but she had never seen this kind of chaos after a bombing. Thankfully there hadn't been much bombing's lately and if they were they were at a small scale, but not this day. Xu guesses the numbers will be in the hundreds, including the president of Esthar.

Laguna Loire is a friend of hers, but more importantly, he is a father figure for her best friend, and she knows his lost will hit her hard, much harder that it is hitting her. So Xu puts those thoughts out of her mind, later there will be time to mourn the lost.

_Damn him, whoever is responsible for this shit._

Thankfully she didn't have to wait long before her partner got into the car next to her. She speeded away but her partner told her to stop. Xu's looking confused when her partner steps out of the car and comes back with a blond woman in tow. The woman doesn't look happy about the way her partner drags her along, nor does Xu like it that he brings a strange woman along while he knows where they have to go and what they have to do.

"She knows who made the bomb."

"I do not." The woman scuffs.

"Well how do you explain you know about the bomb?"

"And why didn't you believe me before?"

Xu tells them to shut up; they don't have time for this shit. They need to find out what happened and if they have another threat ahead of them or not.

She is driving to the outskirts of the town, to one of their many hide-outs. When she steps out of the car she introduces herself to the woman. "I am Xu Chang. Sorry about my partner, he can be rude sometimes."

The woman shrugs her shoulders, she probably had noticed this already and she tells Xu her name, Quistis Trepe. Hearing her name, her partner begins to snicker.

"So you're the famous Blue Mage of the Timber's PD? Is it true what they say about the Ice Queen? Is she still a virgin?"

If glares could kill, her partner would have been dead.

**=XXX=**

Xu leads both blonds through one of their underground complex, a small bunker in the middle of the Timber Forest. On the way in she tried to answers some questions Quistis had. While she couldn't answer most questions like who they are working for, where they are going) on some she could answer, or at least guess, who was responsible for the bomb and was it the same ones like three years ago: a.k.a. the Sorceress.

Through many tunnels and after many turnings, if you don't know your way it is easy to get lost in here, Xu leads them straight to the heart of this bunker. A big metal door blocks their way, which Xu opens with a retinal Scan and entering a long code. Loud scraping fills the silent tunnels and inside sits one man with his back to them.

With quick steps Xu is inside, followed by Seifer but Quistis is standing outside, dumb folded.

"You coming or what?" Her partner sneers.

Glaring at her partner Quistis walks into the metal box and Seifer closes the door behind her, while she is barely inside.

Xu doesn't know what this woman has done to make her partner so agitated, but she isn't intend to find out, for now.

"Hey Nida," Xu greets the man sitting behind the computers.

Turning around in his chair the brown haired man with hazel eyes is flashing them a grin before standing up an giving Xu a hug, clasps Seifer's hand and kisses Quistis outstretched hand.

"And who is this beautiful woman?" Nida asks, not having let go of Quistis' hand.

Xu rolls her eyes. Seifer just looks angry at the man's action and Quistis can't help the blush from appearing on her cheeks.

Xu saves Quistis by hitting Nida and dragging him back to his workstation. "That is Quistis Trepe from Timber PD. Quistis meet Nida Kazuka, we're all SeeD."

"SeeD? What is a SeeD? You're in the flower business?"

"See! I told you didn't I? Nobody knows who SeeD is!" Seifer said angrily.

And damn, he is _so _right.

SeeD is a secret organization, so secret no outsider knows of its existence. For the outside world Balamb Garden is a school for the orphaned children, giving them a place to call home while teaching them and giving them a better chance for the future. This is all made possible by the Kramer's who had found many funding's for their school.

But there wasn't enough money; not enough funding's to keep Balamb Garden running. So Cid Kramer came up with a new plan: SeeD.

While the school already gave defense classes, because they know the world isn't always rainbows and sunshine, they simply expanded those classes for a few chosen ones. Ones who had the potential to become monster hunters. Xu, Nida and Seifer were one of the first chosen for this special plan to gain more money. Monsters were, and still are, a huge problem that people are ready to pay for to get rid of them. But slowly the SeeD changed from monster hunters to thieves (retrieving stolen goods for the rich people) to spies (governments pay big money to spy on their own subjects) and eventually even mercenaries. They would do a lot for money.

But now it isn't about the money. It's all about saving the world, again.

Knowing there is time to explain later, Xu ignores both blonds and focuses on the screen in front of her. Checking her watch she sees it's almost time to contact Headquarters.

"All set," Nida said, leaning back in his chair. "All we can do now is waiting."

"Waiting, how boring." Seifer moans behind them. "Haven't we waited enough already?"

Xu knows he isn't talking about HQ, but rather about the whole mission. One year was a long time undercover and it wasn't his first time. During the second Sorceress War he was also undercover for a long time in Esthar and since that time he was on and off in Esthar. Therefor didn't she envy him that he got the job instead of her, actually she was glad for it. She never liked it to be gone from her home for a long time, but know it seems she won't be going home for a while.

Thankfully they didn't have to wait much longer. A middle-aged-man appears on the screen. With his glasses and his trademark red vest Xu sees the man she thinks of as father, also the man who is her boss and one of the creators of Garden and Seed.

"_Xu, it seems time isn't on our hands. The Sorceress is back, it seems our conclusion that Edea's powers were absorbed by Adel is wrong. Adel is still frozen in space and won't be able to do anything. That means there is another player in the field. You have to find her, alive, so we can free her from this curse. I've spoken with Laguna-" _

"WHAT?" The two blonds and Xu scream.

"_President Laguna Loire is alive." _


	8. The Rogue Agent

**The Rogue Agent **

This wasn't the first time he was caught in the middle of a bomb.

Nor will it be his last time.

But for some reason, this one was one of the hardest to recuperate from.

Waking up with fudge vision and a shrill ring in your ear is never comfortable. But if not much later you smell the stench of blood and body's, you know it is bad.

Really bad.

After Seifer's sight returned to normal he isn't surprise to see the damage around the plaza, but this was larger than the bomb in Deling City three years ago. And did a lot more damage.

From that one he walked away unhurt, but this time he isn't so lucky.

_That's what you get for playing the knight in shining armor! _He berates himself. _Should have just gotten yourself out of the way instead of that woman._

The woman who is now nowhere in sight. _Damn!_

Sighing he slowly stands up, his legs seems to still function properly, to check on people around him. He's glad to see Squall is fine, dust covers him but he can't see any blood. He nods at him before bending down when he sees an arm from under the ruble. He checks for a pulse but feels none.

Getting angry at himself he kicks at the ruble, he should have known something would happen one of these days. The signs were there all along, but he just ignored them, as he did often these days. It was almost two years and still nothing had happened, Seifer had hoped they were wrong and nothing would happen this time.

But how wrong were they?

Before Seifer gets lost in his thought, a soft ring from a phone is heard close by.

His phone.

"Yeah."

"_It's time."_

That's all the man said, but that is enough.

He gets the message.

**=XXX=**

He left the plaza without looking back or giving anyone an explanation off where he is going.

He feels bad about leaving them, especially Squall. For the last three years he considers him a friend. While they don't always see eye-to-eye, to be honest that happens almost never, he knows he can rely on him in the field. So it is with some regret that he leaves the man behind he has been lying to for years, but an order is an order and this order is one that precedes all other orders.

In a small alley close by, his friend is waiting for him. He looks him once over and said to him: "You're hurt, ya know."

Seifer ignores him while he slowly removes his clothes, his blood stained clothes. Looking down at his hands he sees they too are stained red from where he tried to save the president not so long ago.

Not knowing if he is alive or not is gnawing at him.

**=XXX=**

After splitting up with Rajin, he walks casually along with the people who are leaving Timber. Outside the hotel he was staying in his partner is waiting for him. Her face is hardened and for once in his life he doesn't make any snarky remark. He simply sits beside his partner, squeezing her arm for a second before they speed away.

Finally having some time to simply look around, Seifer is angry for all the damage the bomb is responsible for. And the person he knows has something to do with it.

Her blond-honey hair and her sky-blue eyes won't leave his mind.

He is even imagining her across the street.

Wait a minute…

It is _her_ walking there.

He yells at his partner to stop, what she does without hesitation, and he jumps out of the car before it has even stopped.

In a few steps he is next to the woman and he holds her arm in a death-grip.

She looks at him angrily, but doesn't say a thing.

"You're coming with me." Seifer growls, dragging the woman with him.

She doesn't resist him, not much anyway. So not long after he dumps her in the backseat, while his partner looks at him questioningly, and feeling the blond woman blue-eyes burn in his back, he signals his partner to go, and they are leaving Timber and all the deaths and destruction behind them.

**=XXX=**

It had been a long time since he set foot in any of the bunkers Garden has all over the world. In fact it had been a long time since he had seen a forest, they don't grow anywhere in the Hyperbolic City of Esthar.

Inside the bunker he has mixed feelings to see Nida again, glad because he sees him as the annoying little brother, but not glad for the reasons why: the bombing in Timber.

The majorly of the last three years he had spent in Esthar, away from his home and most of his friends, with the last year a full-time assignment. Two years after they had defeated Edea, rumors were spreading about a new Sorceress, rumors they didn't have a choice but to check out. To make things easier he was sent back to Esthar, where he already had an alias, to cut short the communication lines between President Loire and Headmaster Kramer.

With nothing happening and no new clues, the headmaster was close to abort this mission, Seifer was only here today in Timber because of the Summit. It was supposed to be his last job before going home. Home back in Balamb, where Cid was communicating from this moment.

But Seifer doesn't really pay attention to the headmaster; he already knows what they have to do: find the Sorceress and kill her and her powers once and for all. That the headmaster wants to save the poor woman who has received the Sorceress power isn't that strange with his, and theirs, history. But what he hears next is shockingly.

"_President Laguna Loire is alive." _

That isn't possible, he was with him when he was shot, true he was still alive when he left him but he has seen enough gunshot wounds to know when one is fatal, and this one was.

Seeing that Nida isn't reacting to this news he grabs the young SeeD by his collar and drags him from the chair. "You knew this, didn't you?"

"_Let him go Seifer." _Cid said with a fatherly tone._ "I haven't given him permission to talk about it with you yet, but yes Seifer, the President is safe."_

"But how? I saw him get shot right in front of me."

"_Are you sure it was him?"_

And it all came to him; they had used a body double. They had talked about it a few times during the last year when the threats against the president grew, but Laguna Loire always ignored the threats and the advice of his protectors. He wasn't a man to back down ever, but somehow he did today. Thankfully.

"Why would he use a double today while he has always been against it?"

"_Luck? Who knows? I bet Kiros finally get through his big head, but those are concerns for later."_

"Maybe Dobe was behind this?" Xu muses.

"No way!" Quistis seethes, defending her adoptive father. "He wouldn't do anything like helping the Sorceresses. She has destroyed our home! We don't forget that."

"_And who is this young lady?"_

"This is Quistis Trepe." Xu tells Cid. "She tried to warn everyone about the bomb, but no-one believed her." She said with a discreet glance in Seifer's direction.

"_And why is that?"_

"She did know about the bomb." Seifer said. "Who else would know about the bomb but the one who put it there?"

"_True….Why should I let you stay here Miss Trepe? I don't know if you are reliable or not."_

"If I'm reliable? I'm standing in some secret bunker, talking to the head of a secret organization that hides behind a school for the orphaned. I think I have more rights to be skeptic of you."

Cid chuckles. _"Correct, but I know you are trustworthy, we've followed you for some time."_

"You've followed me? Why?"

"_That's a long story, one for which we don't have time for now. If you like you can help Xu and Seifer, if not I'm afraid you will have to wait with Nida until this mission is over, I cannot allow you to leave. I'm sorry Miss Trepe."_

Seifer knows what Quistis will choose and he isn't sure if this is the right decision to make. He still doesn't trust her; he knows she is hiding something. Well it seems they will have time to figure that out.

"Then I'd like to help."

"_Excellent! First I have some questions for Miss Trepe. I believe you know who the Sorceress is right?" _

Angry green eye focus on her cool blue ones. He knew it!

"I'm not sure." Quistis said. "But a friend of mine has been behaving strange lately. At first I didn't thought any of it, but today she asked me to bring her backpack which she had forgotten. I did, but I swear I didn't know what was inside that bag, you've got to believe me!"

While Seifer's anger was boiling, Cid thankfully kept a cool head and could see the guilt Quistis feels.

"_She made you bring the bomb to a highly secured location because she knew you would get in without being searched."_

"Yeah." Quistis replied weakly. "But I should have known something was wrong! Why didn't I check that bag? If I did, I could have saved a lot of people. So many are death because of me!"

Not knowing why, but Seifer couldn't stay angry at her. She is as much a victim of the Sorceress as the woman who became her vessel is. All puppets for the Sorceress to play with.

"It isn't your fault." Seifer told her. "If you didn't bring the bomb with you the Sorceress would have found another way to kill all those innocent people. And you did try to warn me, it's mine fault I didn't listen to you.

Quistis gives him a watery smile in return, but Seifer still sees the guilt linger in her eyes.

"_What is the name of your friend?"_

"Selphie Tilmitt. And I believe her boyfriend is involved too, Irvine Kinneas."

Tilmitt. Kinneas? That can't be. Three years ago they fought on their side against the Sorceress Edea. Are their former allies now their enemies?

"_That's what I've been afraid for….Now you know why I want them caught alive, I will not lose another one…"_

And with those final words the connection is cut.


	9. The Mad Scientist

**The Mad Scientist**

"Ze iz back."

Those are the first words that Dr. Odine says when he sees the images on TV.

It is beautiful to see.

One single shot and the president is gone, destabilizing Esthar.

One single bomb and the rest of the world is destabilized.

And while the world has to recover from these losses, he can finally start with his big plan. His master plan which has been dormant for over twenty-five years.

Twenty-two years ago Sorceress Adel ruled over Esthar. She was ruthless but she was his. Or rather she was _his_ Queen.

If it wasn't for Loire than he would have been her King. Her King! His life would've been so much different if she was still alive (technically she is still alive, Dr. Odine knows this, but with her frozen in space she is as good as death) but unfortunately life didn't swing that way.

Instead he was captured, put in prison and he was stuck there for a year before they found something better for him to do. He got his old job back but with a lot of supervision.

It wasn't like his job used to be, but it was better than rotting away in prison doing nothing.

While he didn't want to help Loire and his people, he couldn't shut out his brain. He had lots of ideas in his head and he had to work them out. Most of his inventions are useful for both him and his captures, but one of his creations was an accident, but a rather useful accident for Loire. The Odine Bangle, a bracelet to suppress the Sorceress powers is not an invention he is proud of. That whole project was one big failure and by pure accident, while he was trying to look for a way to locate Sorceress powers, he found a way to suppress their powers. Of course he didn't want to share this information with anyone, but his supervisors found out and thus the Odine Bangle was created.

Well, he may make a mistake once in a while, right? His Queen wouldn't blame him for it…right?

Only one way to find out.

With the return of his Queen he will do anything to become her King. He knows just what he has to do to get that reward, finish Junction Machine Ellone.

Oh, if only that was so simple.

First he would have to find Ellone.

Uhm.. Scrap that. First he will have to escape this prison of his. But how to do that? While he knows there are still people here in Esthar who are loyal to Adel, he doesn't know if they will act now that she is back. If they even know that she is back. Well if he can't rely on them he will have to find his own way out of this laboratory.

How hard can that be?

**=XXX=**

Escaping isn't that hard.

Total chaos outside and nobody is watching him.

Their stupid mistake.

**=XXX=**

Minutes later Dr. Odine has finished packing his most important research and he walks out of the laboratory. Not one guard is in sight, no single soldier or anyone to stop him from walking away from the labs.

The streets from Esthar are equally devoid of any life. No doubt all of the citizens are inside, ordered by the government or simply watching the events from Timber.

He doesn't care as long as they stay out of his way.

**=XXX=**

First part completed: leaving Esthar. Second part: find a place to start the search for Ellone.

That was easier said than done.

He hasn't left Esthar for twenty-two years and a lot has changed in those years. He doesn't know of any of the hideouts they used then are still available and if there are even people who will help him.

Dr. Odine had heard from a soldier, a long time ago, that they had destroyed all off Adel's hideouts in Esthar. One of her former followers had done the unforgiving deed of telling the enemy that secret information. But thankfully Odine knows of other places, places even the others didn't know about. Only him and his Queen.

Walking westward he knows just the place where he knows his Queen will be. Their secret place in Fisherman's Horizon.

**=XXX=**

On his long journey he has lots of time to come up with the best solution to his biggest problem: finding Ellone.

The last he heard she hasn't been in Esthar for the last year or so. So where can she have gone to? She doesn't have any family left, she sees Loire as her father (that poor child) and she has lived with him in Esthar's palace until last year. Then she simply disappeared and nobody was foolish enough to tell him wear to (unfortunately).

Ellone will be hidden away good, there is no chance he will find her through his informants in Esthar, if they are still alive.

Thinking back to the time when Ellone was just a little girl, he remembers a story she once told in the laboratory when she was visiting a friend (which wasn't him of course, not after what he had done to her). She told the other man that at age eleven she was in FH with a friend. Her friend decided to go to Balamb Garden while she herself went to find Loire here in Esthar.

Maybe her friend can help him find her. Her friend in Balamb Garden; Xu Chang.

**=XXX=**

Finally he was in FH, or what was left of FH. But he isn't alone. A young man in brown leather and wearing a cowboy hat is sitting on a rock, staring at the moon. Behind him he can see her. But it isn't her, not exactly. It isn't his red-haired Queen but a young girl with brown hair and sparkling green eyes, dressed in a yellow sundress.

"Finally you're here," she said to him in a sultry voice.

He knows she isn't Adel, but he knows that this is his Queen.


	10. The President

**The President **

It seems he owes his oldest and best friend a huge favor:

Kiros' gut has saved his life.

He knew something was wrong the moment he saw Kiros face in the doorway of his hotel. Kiros knows how much Laguna hates to use the body-double. He hates to rely on anyone and to think his loyal aid could die in his place is not an easy thought, even though he knows that he is trained to do just that.

So instead of getting into the limousine, Laguna is stuffed in the back of an old crappy Timber-taxi. Why Kiros choose to use this transportation he doesn't know, and he doesn't have time to think about it cause Ward is already sitting behind the wheels of the small car and is driving in the opposite direction of the plaza, far away from the summit.

"Tell me again why we couldn't stay in the hotel?"

Kiros rolls his eye at Laguna's childish tone. "Because with all the security at the plaza there aren't enough people to guarantee your security, and you know you need them."

Laguna huffs while crossing his arms, Kiros is right as always. "Where are we going then? We're not leaving yet, right? I mean, we at least have to wait for Seifer and my so…s…Squall."

Ignoring the slip of the tongue, Kiros replies: "We are going to wait for them, of course. Just not here in Timber." Seeing Laguna's hopeful look he adds, "nor Deling City."

That's too bad. Laguna sure would love to reminisce with his friends in the bar they used to hang out in. With the lovely Julia singing her songs.

"We're going to Winhill"

Winhill, that is the last place on earth Laguna wants to be. Too many painful memories, too many mistakes he has made in that small town. No, Laguna wasn't keen to go that way.

**=XXX=**

They weren't even in the outskirts of Timber when the news of the shooting of the president (well his body-double) and the bombing that followed the shooting reaches their ears.

Nobody said anything. What was their left to say?

They had failed once again.

They weren't as save as they believed they were.

And now lots of people were dead because of their ignorance.

It's a tense and silent ride.

**=XXX=**

Watching the destruction on tv is harder than what it would be if they were at the scene.

Feeling helpless is not a feeling Laguna likes very much.

When the three man had arrived in a small town between Timber and Winhill they went to the pub and rented a room. Thankfully everyone's gaze was on the screen, so they didn't notice the President and his aids enter and slipping upstairs.

He knows there is no more time to waste, they have to take action.

Grabbing his suitcase he retrieves his laptop and with the help of Ward it doesn't take long before Nida Kazuka's grim face appears on the screen in front of him.

_"Mister President! You're alive!"_

If the time wasn't so desperate, Laguna would have laughed at Nida's shocked face, but alas, that time is not now.

"I sure am. You can't get rid of me that easily."

That brought a small smile on Nida's face.

"I need to speak to Cid ASAP!" continued Laguna.

_"Right away, Sir."_

The screen blurs, but they don't have to wait long to see Cid's relieved face.

_"Thank Hyne." _Cid sighs.

Laguna doesn't know if they should thank Hyne so fast. Isn't she the one who created Sorceresses? Isn't she the one responsible for this mess they are in?

But he doesn't correct Cid. Cid, off all people, has a great need to believe in something _holy._

**=XXX=**

While his conversation with Cid was enlightening, they had to agree to disagree.

Cid was adamant that Laguna keeps a low-profile while his SeeD try to locate the Sorceress and her knight. Laguna however has no intention to stay back. No, this time he is going to fight in the frontlines, hopefully with his son next to him.

He knows his son is safe, but he doesn't know where he is right now. The last he saw of his son, he was with a woman he vaguely recognized, but he doesn't know from where.

Cid also asked about Ellone. For the last year she was safe upon the White Seed Ship, but for how long will that be the best place for her? With the return of the Sorceress he rather keeps her close by his side. And he told Cid that.

Cid however, reminded him of the last time he had keep her close by, and that had almost killed her, thousands of miles away from the planet.

Although Cid was right, his comment stung.

It also didn't help that in the same sentence he offered to keep her safe in Balamb.

'Just like last time!' He had retorted back. Even at Balamb Garden she hadn't been completely save.

Cid had wisely decided to let Laguna handle the safety of Ellone, after all he has other big problems he needs to solve, and they couldn't be sure if the Sorceress was after Ellone this time or not.

Still, Laguna rather doesn't take any changes with her safety.

"We've got to get Ellone." Laguna said softly, long after his call with Cid has ended.

Ward nods his head, adjusting some settings on the laptop.

"I agree," Kiros said. "But where will we go after we've got her? We can't go to Esthar and Galbadia is no better. Balamb isn't an option either, or at least not until we really don't have another place to go. So where….?" He trailed off, rubbing his hand under his clean-shaven chin.

"We'll figure something out," Laguna said with a wave of his hand. "First we have to find her. Any luck Ward?"

Ward turns the laptop around so both Laguna and Kiros can see the world map that Ward has pulled up. At the most southern tip a red-spot blinks, the location of the White SeeD Ship.

"The Orphanage huh…looks like we're going back to the place where I found her again, so many years ago.

**=XXX=**

_22 years ago._

_He fought in the Galbadian Army along with his buddy's Ward and Kiros. His favorite pastime was ogling at Julia the singer, or hanging around with his buddies of course. That was a good life until they patrolled the wrong place at the wrong time. He fought against the Estharian Soldiers and they were on the winning hand, but those nasty soldiers had one more trick on their sleeve. He was mortally wound when he jumped of that clive. Months of rehabilitation was his reward for serving the army. But also gaining the love of an amazing woman and her cute adoptive daughter. _

_It wasn't to last._

_Ellone was kidnapped, he got captured while trying to save her. He found her, and send her back to Winhill while he tried to save the world. He succeeded, and before he knew what had happened he was president of Esthar and a very busy man. Hw was so busy that it almost took three years before he finally made it back in Winhill, but the love of his life wasn't there anymore. Nor was Ellone._

_The two most important women in his life were gone, out of his reach. _

_But not for always._

_Many years later he heard a rumor, that his little girl was in Cetra near the southern light tower. So he went there, and he found Ellone, in the Orphanage run by Edea Kramer. _

_He took her with him to Esthar, and all was good in life._

_Until 3 years ago._

_There will always be another Sorceress, another threat. _


	11. The Library Girl

**The Library Girl**

Lately Siri has been feeling homesick. Even more so this day; the seventh anniversary since she had to leave the city of Balamb to move with her aunt in Timber.

This day is also the anniversary since she last saw him, her school-crush. With his blond hair, blue eyes and his hyperactivity, she was drawn to him like a moth to a flame, and she still is. Her crush has never left her, despite her aunt's best meanings to get her a boyfriend.

The only good thing about today is the summit, she has been looking forward to this meeting between the leaders, political or not, of the world. Thankfully she could close the shop early today, as her boss had told her: 'it's not like they are going to the library when the president of Esthar is in town!' and he was right of course.

So around noon she closed the library and walked towards the city's plaza. In a better mood than she was this morning, she whistled a happy song, thinking nothing could get wrong this day.

But maybe she should have just stayed in the library, and then she shouldn't be in this crappy situation. But then…neither would she be in the arms of her school-crush.

**=XXX=**

What probably saved her today was a random meeting between her best friend and her crush. She was waiting near the entrance of the plaza and her friend wasn't there yet, which was strange because Nicole is always early, always! Thankfully she doesn't need to wait long to see her friend and her son walking across the street towards her, they stop and Nicole looks her way and she waves back. Then Nicole leans in to kiss the man on the cheek and Siri is already thinking of ways of teasing her friend.

But when she takes a good look at the stranger Nicole was with her heart flutters.

_Zell? _Her school-crush is in Timber?

Simon is tugging her hand and Siri's brown eyes search for the mop of blond hair that is Zell. Only to find him gone. Sighing, she turns her attention to Simon, ruffling his hairs and grabs his hand before entering the plaza, still looking for Zell.

The three of them found a nice space at the back of the plaza, while she would rather be near the entrance she will stay back for her friend, who doesn't like these large crowds.

Standing with her back against the wall, see has a good look of the square. She was having a good time, despite feeling sad for missing Zell, but maybe she would see him again if he is still here. Her eyes scan the crowd, and when she is positive she sees Zell, a single gun-shot shatters the peace.

**=XXX=**

She doesn't know exactly how she came here. After the gun-shot she, along with Nicole and Simon, where pushed away from the square by the scared crowd. She is scared too, but she turns from the crowd near the entrance to keep an eye out for Zell. Nicole urges her to come with her and Simon, but stubbornly, Siri stays where she is. With still no sign of Zell, and most of the crowd away from the plaza, she slips back, just seconds before the bomb went off.

**=XXX=**

This time she wakes up with a nasty headache.

But that doesn't stop her for helping the people near her. Thankfully she wasn't in the plaza yet, so she and the people around her aren't hurt, merely shocked and scared.

While helping an old lady, she sees a sight that stops her heart, Zell.

She hadn't dared think about him, not that she had much time for that, but now that she sees him her eyes begin to tear.

_Thank Hyne he is alright!_

After rubbing her eye she follows Zell, curious at where he is running towards, but also for the need she feels to see him.

While Zell follows Quistis, Siri follows Zell.

**=XXX=**

Zell is coming to an abrupt stop and Siri uses it to catch up to him. Finally, after seven year she can hug her friend again, and so she does.

"Zell!" she yells at the top of her lungs before giving him the biggest hug she has ever given him.

"Siri?" Zell asks and looks into her eyes. "It is you!" He twirls her in the air and Siri's happy laugh is a contrast to the horror that happened in this town.

**=XXX=**

They are sitting in the pub, down-town, where Zell tells her what happened from his point of view at the plaza.

He tells her about the blond woman with the backpack.

He tells her about the brown-haired girl that was looking kind of disconnected.

He tells her about the agent, who asked for his camera and what he had filmed.

And how he came to follow the blond woman, but losing her when she was pulled into a car by a blond guy, whom he swears he saw at the plaza before, but then he was in a black suite instead of the grey trench-coat he was now wearing.

Either way, he had lost his prey, and that is when Siri came along.

And Siri uses this time to catch up with Zell, and told him what she had been up to in these last seven years, and he told her his story.

They stayed in the pub till evening, enjoying each other's company.

And getting to know each other again.

**=XXX=**

"Do you want to see the place I work?"

"Sure do." Zell answers. Like the gentleman he is he pays for the drink and Siri leads him through narrow allies (far away from the plaza) to the library.

Near the entrance Siri stops and Zell bumps into her. "What's wrong?" He asks her, searching the street for any danger.

Siri points toward a man and who is trying to get into the library. "He's breaking in!" She whispers harshly. Walking angrily towards the library Zell has no other reason than to follow her, and help her if needed.

"What do you think you're doing?"

The man turns around whit an air of superiority around him. Siri takes a good look and she thinks he is definitely military. Seeing his graying hair, Siri thinks this man must've been in the military for some time. While she has respect for man like him, doesn't give them a reason to break into her library.

Appearing like nothing has happened, the man stands at ease with his hands behind his back. "I need to get inside this library. It's of great importance."

"That doesn't give you a reason to try and break into _mine _library."

"I do apologize, young lady, but with the day we all had I don't have time for pleasantries."

Zell scuffs. "That's bullshit. And who are you? You're not from around here are you? You have a different accent."

"You have a good hearing son. I'm from Galbadia, Deling City to be precise, and my name is General Fury Careway."


	12. The Headmaster

**The Headmaster **

Cid Kramer really wishes he had retired three years ago.

He already knows, even before he made it out of his bed that today was going to be a bad day. It was after all the anniversary of his late wife and his wedding day. Thirty years ago, they were still young, very much in love, and they didn't know about any Sorceresses.

That all changed twenty-two years ago.

Cid and Edea were running an orphanage, they had done so since they had married, and were taking care of two children. Two local boys whose parents had passed away due an illness, with no family to take care of them they took them into their house near the beach. They stayed with them for nearly seven years; the day that Nathan and Peter, who were twins, turned eighteen they left home and went to join the army. They didn't like it but they let the twins go, to make their own destiny. For three years it was just the two of them, until the Sorceress War, sadly many children lost their parents and they found their way to their safe haven.

Ellone Loire was the first to arrive and a lot more children followed.

All was well, until a Sorceress showed upon their doorstep. Cid was away and Edea did the only thing she could do to save her children, took the Sorceress powers, the curse that would kill her in the end.

**=XXX=**

_3 years ago. _

_Edea Kramer, the sweet, kind woman who ran the orphanage by the sea was now a monster._

_The new Sorceress took control of Deling City and SeeD was sent to reclaim control off the head capital of Galbadia with the help of General Fury. Xu, Seifer, Fujin and Raijin were sent to stop Edea, along the way Irvine helped them and he stayed with them when they fought the Sorceress. Sadly they failed and had to flee back to Balamb Garden. A new plan, a new chance, but another failure. They fought in G-Garden and they couldn't stop her, but thankfully they had stopped her control of the G-Garden._

_A month later they found Edea again, she had escaped towards Trabia and she was trying to find a way into Esthar. _

_She was successful and with the help from Dr. Odine they activated Lunatic Pandora and returned Adel back to the planet. _

_With assistant from the Trabian SeeD's and students they fought against Edea inside the Lunatic Pandora. While they tried anything to save Edea, they sadly failed, and had to kill her before she killed all of them. _

_His wife was death, and so was he from the inside. _

**=XXX=**

Yet, today he has to make another decision that will hurt his heart, his soul, as it hasn't hurt before.

If it is true, and he has no reason to doubt Quistis, he knows that his daughter, the young and spunky Selphie, has inherited Edea's curse.

He should have known something was wrong the day Selphie quit SeeD, with Irvine following her example. Not long after the Sorceress War, in which his kids were forced to kill their foster-mother, they left.

He wasn't that surprised, if he didn't have to look after so many children, he would have quit himself. He just figured they needed some time before coming back home, but they never came back.

At first he did receive messages from the both of them, but those were short messages and not very frequent. Until they never came again.

While Cid did worry about those two, he knew, for a long time, that those two would always look after each other.

He never expected that she had inherited Edea's curse, not until this day. And he still doesn't know how and _if_ he can remove this curse from his girl. He can only think of one man who may know.

Time to call Dr. Odine.

**=XXX=**

It just didn't seem possible for Cid to get any good news this day. Dr. Odine was gone. Apparently he had just walked out of his lab and left Esthar without any trouble or resistance. Where did he go? They couldn't tell him.

Time to give Laguna a call, again.

**=XXX=**

_"Cid, I take it this isn't a pleasure call." _

Laguna's face was grim, what didn't surprise Cid at all. "No, I'm afraid not." Pushing his glasses back on his nose he breaks the bad news to Laguna. "Dr. Odine is missing. He isn't in Esthar anymore."

"_I know, just heard it myself. That slimy weasel has used the attack in Timber to escape." _

_Kiros adds: "It seems there are still people in Esthar loyal to Sorceress Adel and Dr. Odine. No doubt they have helped him escape."_

"_That can't be helped right now." Laguna continues. "We have to focus on finding Ellone first, no doubt he is again looking for Ellone, so as long as we find her first she will be save. Then we can go looking for that weasel."_

"I'd be happy to help you."

"_I know you would, but we have enough problems already without having to chase after that mad scientist, Kiros-"_

"_We still haven't heard from anyone in Timber. Nor Squall or Seifer. Has he been in contact with you?"_

"Yes, I've spoken with Seifer and Xu briefly after I got your call. According to the daughter of the Mayor of Timber-"

"_That blond girl, what's her name Kiros? Quina..Quincy..Quis.."_

"_..Quistis I believe. Quistis Trepe, isn't she Timber PD?"_

"Correct. She told me that her friend and roommate Selphie is involved in the bombing today."

"_Selphie? You mean Selphie Tilmitt, one of your SeeD?"_

"Yes. It appears she had inherited Edea's power, and Irvine Kinneas is her knight."

"_What is Xu and Seifer's objectify?" _Kiros thankfully steers the conversation back on track. No point in grieving over this now.

"With Quistis the three of them will search for Selphie and Irvine, and capture them alive. I need to find a way to remove this curse from Selphie without killing her or cursing someone else in the process."

"_Thus the reason you needed Dr. Odine. While we do have other researchers, not one of them knows so much about the Sorceresses as he does."_

"_Cid, we'll contact our researches and hopefully they will know what to do. We'll find something, I promise you. Maybe you could give the General a call, he might know more about it."_

"Thank you Laguna, but I doubt he can help us know. Have you found Ellone yet?"

"_We're on our way to get her. We'll call again if we got her."_

"Okay, and you still haven't heard from Squall?"

"_..No. but I know he is alright. And he knows I'm not death."_

"_And if he has is like his old man," Kiros grins. "No doubt he is already in some kind of trouble already."_

"_Hey!"_

Cid first smile of the day is playing on his lips. "Then I guess we'll see him before the day is over."

**=XXX=**

With no clue closer of removing the curse, he heads towards the library. Maybe he can find something useful there.

**=XXX=**

"Sir, I think I've found something!"

After rubbing his tired eyes, Cid gives his full attention at the librarian.

"It states here that Adel and her followers had many hideouts around the globe, but most of them were centered around Esthar and Trabia. While most of them have been found, it was believed that there were still some secret hideouts that nobody knows about except Adel and her most loyal follower…."

Cid knows that her most loyal follower is Dr. Odine, but that is a fact not anybody has to know (and the librarian doesn't) so Cid motions for him to continue.

"While there isn't much known about Adel and her followers, I found this interesting quote: 'Adel's most loyal subject was born in a small town in the middle of the ocean. The only connection to the mainland both westward and eastward is by rail spore.' I only know of one such place-"

"Fisherman's Horizon."


	13. The General

**The General **

The only reason the General was present at this summit is because it takes place in Timber. The hometown of his estranged daughter, Rinoa Heartilly, who took her mother's maidens-name just to spite him.

He knows he is the one to blame for this estrangement, but Rinoa isn't innocent either. But still, this time apart from his daughter made him realize what a worse father he has been for Rinoa since his wife's death and he will do anything for her, just so she will speak to him again.

He knows that his reconciliation with his daughter won't be easy, but this was just ridiculous.

After the shooting and the bomb, General Fury Careway found himself inside the Timber-Hotel, rushed inside by his security detail. They told him to stay inside, but Fury has no intention to do that. First he wants to find out what happened to President Loire and the damage the bomb did. Seconds he wants to find his daughter, whom he knows must be close by as part of the media, and he hopes that she is okay.

It isn't until (much) later that he realizes that he has to change his priorities if he wants to close the gap between himself and his daughter.

**=XXX=**

After two hours of phoning all of his contacts he is none the wiser. Nobody of his contacts knows the status of President Loire. Or who is behind his assassination and the bombing. But in his long list of contacts nobody from Esthar or Balamb Garden has answered his phone calls.

He can only think of one reason why both of them could be unreachable: A new Sorceress.

Shocked, he sits down on the bed in his hotel room. Three years ago Edea took control of his City; he did help a small group of SeeD to infiltrate her estate in Deling City to eliminate her. Sadly the group had failed and he was forced to stay low for a while, because somehow Edea had found out on his involvement in the (failed) assassination. It was only after the war had ended that he could help his beloved city to recover from their months-long invasion from the Sorceress.

It is the small beep from his laptop that stops his mind from wandering to that dark time in his city's history. Opening his screen he is glad he finally got one return call from one of his contacts.

Nida Kazuka, one of the SeeD that helped him three years ago.

Their conversation was short, and, sadly, Nida couldn't tell him much.

Most importantly: the president is still alive. Although he can't stand the president, he is glad to hear that he is fine. Nida couldn't tell him where he was or what he was up to, but he couldn't care right now because of the next batch of bad news: Edea's Sorceress powers were transported to a former SeeD, and she was the one behind all this shit that happened today. The last that Nida could tell him was that SeeD would take care of things and that the general didn't have to worry about anything.

But worry he did, constantly.

**=XXX=**

First things first, find information about the Sorceress.

While he did play a part in the Second Sorceress War, albeit a small part, his intel about Sorceresses was lacking. And he knew just the place to find the information that he needs.

**=XXX=**

"What do you think you're doing?"

He found it amusing that while he was trying to break into the library, the library girl and her friend busted him. Standing at ease with his hands behind his back he answers her calmly. "I need to get inside this library. It's of great importance."

"That doesn't give you a reason to try and break into _mine _library."

"I do apologize, young lady, but with the day we all had I don't have time for pleasantries."

The blond man scuffs. "That's bullshit. And who are you? You're not from around here are you? You have a different accent."

"You have a good hearing son. I'm from Galbadia, Deling City to be precise, and my name is General Fury Careway."

**=XXX=**

After a round of introduction the two teens told Fury what they had seen in the last hours. He could tell that both of them wanted to help in any way they could, and he let them.

"I need all the books you have about Sorceresses."

Siri's face turns white, but she does walk to the back of the library, where all the old books are being kept. With Zell's help they bring about a dozen books to the table where the general is sitting. They split the books and start reading.

"What exactly are we looking for?" The girl asks timidly.

"Sorceress always look for power and means to increase their powers." He told her. "I've heard of a rumor about a strong draw-point, it was said that if the Sorceress ever found that point and draws the magic she would become unstoppable. But it also said that it could destroy her powers without killing the host."

Siri gulps and Zell squeezes her hand tightly. He doesn't know much about Sorceress and their powers, but most common-folks know even less.

**=XXX=**

Hours later they still haven't found anything. Getting impatient and frustrated, Fury decides to take a walk around town, maybe he can learn something useful from one of the towns-people or of the many tourist that are still in town.

Maybe he can even find his daughter.

He didn't find his daughter, but he did find a nice large pint.

And a rather unexpected companion.

**=XXX=**

Squall Leonheart, one of Laguna's best Federal Agents, is sitting at the bar nurturing a glass of water which he is twirling around in his hand.

He had met him once, during a brief visit to Esthar, and he didn't like him at all.

His stormy eyes were almost as cold as his were hot, and he did wonder what had happened to this young man to make his eyes that cold.

He never learned his history then, nor will he do so now.

"What are you doing here boy?" Fury asks Squall while waving the bartender over. He orders a pint and sits down next to him. "Aren't you supposed to protect daddy-dearest? According to my sources he isn't in Timber anymore."

Squall glances at him angrily, but doesn't say a word.

"And now you're wasting your time sitting in a bar, while you should look for the man that tried to kill him."

"Don't you think I don't know that?" He growls barely audible. "And what about you, what are you doing here?"

Chuckling, he clinks his glass against Squall's glass of water, "Touché. But it wasn't mine president that was gunned down, nor is this mine city. I have no authorization here, so there isn't much that I can do."

They remain silence for some time. Fury Careway has a feeling that the young man needs to take something of his chest, so he decides to humor him for now. Maybe he can be useful to someone else after all.

Squall told him what happened at the plaza. It was interesting to hear his side of the story next to Zell's. Coincident still happens it seems. Squall was told that the president was safe, but that he was already escorted out of town by his aids. Squall had orders to wait in town until he got his next set of orders. But with everybody trying to communicate, a lot of lines were down and he hadn't heard from anyone since then. He had wandered around town until he found himself in the pub.

Squall looks down at his hand with are resting on the bar, "and worst of all, my partner has betrayed me."

"Your partner; Seifer Almasy? He didn't go rouge, fool. He's SeeD. And one of the best I may add."

Squalls head turns to him so fast he wonders if Squall didn't hurt himself. Before either man can say anything he hears a feminine voice. An all too familiar voice which makes his heart stops cold.

"There you are! I've been looking everywhere for you."

From around the corner his estranged daughter makes a beautiful entrée.

And he is absolutely sure that she isn't looking for him. 


	14. The Mayor

**The Mayor**

Dobe was doomed.

Or at least, he told himself that.

Flo of course declines, but he still wonders.

Until four years ago he was Mayor of the beautiful sea-side city of Fisherman's Horizon, until the whole town burned down to the ground. Dobe, Flo and their daughter moved to Timber, with the rest of FH's citizens whom had survived, and they had made the best of their lives here. His daughter became a respected police-officer, while he became the Mayor, again.

But now the President of Esthar has been shot in his city, while he was standing next to him. Unable to do anything.

Now, hours later, he is stuck in his office. His wife is with him, but his daughter is _the_ suspect of the bombing.

See, his family is doomed. When they finally have found peace in their lives, some way or another, it seems, their home will always be destroyed.

Looking at his desk he sees the sky-blue eyes of his daughter's photo looking at him. The report is lying in front of him. According to that report Quistis has smuggled the bomb inside that almost killed him, and which did kill a lot of people including the President of Esthar.

But he doesn't believe them. He knows Quistis, and he knows she wouldn't do anything like that. She already has lost one home; she wouldn't risk losing her second home. So what had happened?

The door opens and his wife enters his office. "There's nothing you can do Dobe." Flo said. "Let's go home."

Home? But is it still his home. If his daughter is being accused of this disaster, he doesn't know how long he can stay in this office, or even in this town, anymore.

**=XXX=**

It was night-time when he heard a sound in his house. Without waking Flo, he slips downstairs, intending to talk to who-ever is invading his home. To his surprise, it is someone he knows.

"Dad, are you alright?" Quistis asks her adoptive-father.

"Yes, I'm fine." Dobe answered. His hands cup Quistis face. "Are you okay?"

"Yeah."

"But what are you doing here? Everyone is looking for you. They think you placed that bomb."

Quistis' eyes drop down, ashamed, when she answers. "I did bring that bomb to the plaza, but I didn't know that. I should have known! Because of me, a lot of people are dead, dad."

"Quisty…" Dobe doesn't know what to say. So there was some truth with the accusation.

"It isn't your fault Trepe." A soft, somber voice said. Dobe turns around to the voice and only then does he sees the other two people who are standing in their livingroom.

"These are Seifer Almasy and Xu Chang." Quistis introduces her companions. "They're SeeD."

"SeeD! You've brought SeeD into our house?!"

"Dad?!" Quistis asks aghast. Quite shocked by his outburst.

"Where were the SeeD when he needed them four years ago? When the troops of the Sorceress burned down our town? Where were they then? Are they here to arrest you?"

"No." The man said. "We aren't here to arrest her."

"We're sorry." The black haired SeeD, Xu, said. "We didn't know the Sorceress was heading that way. If we did, you've got to believe me, we would have helped you."

Dobe doesn't believe them for one second. SeeD, always trying to solve everything with violence.

"Dad." Quistis said calmly. "They need our help. There is another Sorceress threat, and my friend Selphie is her vessel. You know her dad; we've got to save her. And if the only way I can do that is with SeeD, then so I will."

"But what about these accusations? Is the Timper-PD still after you?"

"No they're not." Xu said. "Or, at least not anymore. Headmaster Cid has taken care of that. Quistis isn't to blame for anything that happened today."

_Thank Hyne!_ Dobe thinks. His daughter isn't guilty. But if she is going after the Sorceress, she might be in more danger than if she was found guilty. But he could see her determined look in her eye, the look that said that she wouldn't back down. "Okay, I'll help. What do you need from me?"

"We've got reason to believe the Sorceress is headed towards FH." Xu told him. "Her most loyal subject was born there."

"What? Are you sure about that? Do you know who that is? We are mostly pacifist. I can't believe any of our people would help somebody that evil."

"That's what I told them." Quistis told her father. "But they've got good sources, so they are probably right, but I don't know of anyone who would do such things."

Suddenly a memory of long ago surfaced in his memory.

_Almost thirty years ago, while Dobe was just a young man, he and his best friend Gunther were working by doing research in conducting energy in Esthar. They were the best in their branch of business, they had a good job and a good pay. Every day they went to lunch in one of Esthar's bistros, where their favorite barista works, Flo. With fiery red-hair and brown eyes, she was their dream woman. _

_But she could only choose one. _

_After years of working and living together, one woman destroyed their friendship._

_Flo choose Dobe._

_And not only Dobe's friendship was destroyed. After Dobe and Flo were engaged, Dobe found out the real reason of Gunther's research. He wanted to find the strongest draw-point and use it for himself. _

_He didn't want to be any part of that!_

_He quit his job, and with his new wife they ran away, to Fisherman's Horizon. _

_Gunther had visited only once in Dobe and Flo's new home, to make amends. With their new way of living, and with Gunther's pleading, they forgave him. Gunther bought a house in FH, but he never did use it. The house was on the outskirts of the town, abandoned and neglected, until it too was destroyed in the fire. _

"Gunther..? Dad, what's his last name?"

"Odine. Gunther Odine."

"Dr. Odine?" Xu asks.

"The one and the same."

**=XXX=**

While Xu and Seifer were busy making phone calls, Dobe, Flo and Quistis are sitting at the dinner table, enjoying a cup of tea.

"How did Selphie become involved in all this?" Flo places her hand on Quistis' hand. "She is such a sweet girl. How could she do this?"

"I don't know mom. It has to do with this Sorceress-power she has. Somehow this power is consuming her or something, I don't really know, but I do know that she is still in there. She did try to warn me about the bomb, but when I encountered her later, she didn't even recognize me. She had this weird blank look in her eyes. It scared me." Quistis confesses.

"What will you do next?" Dobe asks. "Is there a way to remove these powers, without hurting Selphie?"

"That's why we need to find Dr. Odine. He is the one who knows the most about the Sorceress."

"Isn't he still in Esthar?" Flo has always felt guilty she had hurt Gunther.

"No." Xu walks back into the kitchen. "He has escaped during the bombing in Timber. He isn't in Esthar anymore, nor has he traveled to Trabia."

"So he is in FH, you think?"

"I do." Xu walks over to Dobe, placing her hand on his shoulder. "You said he never used his house, but have you any idea why he would have bought that house while he knew he wasn't going to use it?"

"Because he wanted to put the past behind us, he wanted us to be friends again. However, now I doubt that those were his real intentions."

"He has only been in the house once, after he had bought the place." Flo adds. "He did have a lot of baggage with him, dozens of boxes, that's why we thought he would stop by more often."

"What was in those boxes?"

"I don't know." Dobe said, while Flo shakes her head.

"I think we need to go to FH." Quistis said. "We've got to find out what was in those boxes."

"But didn't you say that his house was destroyed by the fire?"

"Not completely, Xu." Dobe walks over to a drawer and he comes back with a yellow envelope. He rips it open, and a golden key falls on the table. "The basement is still intact. With this key you can enter."

"Thank you." Xu picks up the key and walks away. "We'll leave in fifteen minutes Quistis."

"Okay."

Quistis drinks the rest of her tea before saying goodbye to her parents.

"Be careful sweetie." Flo's arms are on Quistis waist. "We'll be waiting for you here."

Dobe joins the hug, kissing Quistis' temple. "Do your best. We love you, no matter what. Remember that darling."


	15. The Posse Part 1

**The Posse Part 1**

After the phone call with Cid, Fujin and Raijin split up, both to do the part in the next quest the have to face. While Raijin is meeting up with Seifer and Xu, Fujin takes her phone and calls Squall.

"Squall, we've got new orders." Is the first thing she said.

"_Finally."_

In the background she hears two shouting voices, well at least the feminine voice is a high shriek, while the others baritone is a calm, but familiar soothing voice.

"Do I hear General Careway? Who's yelling at him?"

"_His daughter, and yes the General is here. But how do you know the General?"_

"There's a lot I need to tell you Squall, I'm not a native from Esthar. I'm a SeeD from Balamb Garden."

"_So I've heard. The General told me Seifer works with SeeD….care to explain?"_

Where to start? She was in the orphanage with a bunch of kids, most of whom are still her friends. At the age of twelve she went to live in Galbadia Garden and three years later she moved to Balamb Garden. There she was reunited with Seifer and Raijin. Together they became SeeD two years later. Their first mission was to help Deling City with a monster problem, who knew that was the start of a long battle against the Sorceress? Her foster-mother who had become a monster? How she had to fight her again, twice, and how they had to murder the woman who had raised them?

She just told him everything, including the part his father played in this story and the new threat they have to face.

It was silent between them for a few minutes, both used that time to gather their thoughts, before Squall finally asks Fujin,

"_What are the orders? And who gave them?"_

"Both President Laguna and Headmaster Cid. We're going to FH. Seifer is already headed that way, we're going to help them catch the Sorceress."

A loud shriek comes across the phone and Fujin sighs, it seems the General and his daughter is still not talking.

"_How are we going to catch a Sorceress, I don't know much about them but I know they've great magical powers, how are we going to stop her then?"_

"We don't know yet."

Fujin ends the call and makes her way towards the bar. 

**=XXX=  
><strong> 

"Why are you really here?" Asks the dark-haired woman angrily.

"I'm here to see you!" General Careway answers.

Fujin sighs and walks further into the bar. She slumps on the crutch next to Squall who is looking back and forth between father and daughter.

"How long have they been at it?" Fujin asks Squall.

Squall sighs, "Too long."

Fujin nods and orders a glass of water.

"I don't want to see you. Or wasn't that clear when I walked away from home?"

The water is placed on the bar before her.

"It's been three years, you still can't be mad about that!"

The water is nice and cold, Fujin empty's the glass in one swig.

"I'm not." A deep breath before Rinoa continues. "But that doesn't mean it doesn't hurt."

Fujin sighs before standing up to stand between father and daughter. "I don't know what your quarrel is, but we have more important things to deal with-"

Rinoa humph, but Fujin ignores her.

"-like the return of the Sorceress."

"I know." Fury said. "I've tried to find some Intel on the Sorceress here, but so far no luck."

Before she has a chance to reply there is a whirlwind of blond hair that is running straight to the General.

"I wouldn't say that." He said, waving a book in front of the general. "We've found something on that drawing point."

**=XXX=**

After everyone was introduced to one another Zell explained, "I found a journal from a Dr. Gunther Odine. There was a much of nonsense in the book but one paragraph is quit useful for us, we believe."

Siri nods her head eagerly and picks the book out of Zell's hands. "It sure is!" She flips through the book till she is nearly at the end and shows the content to the others. "The General told us about a rumor off a very strong drawing-point. According to this Dr. Odine it is near FH, there used to be an island but after a terrible storm the whole island sank to the bottom of the ocean. He believes the drawing-point is on that island."

"Aren't the others already heading towards FH?" Squall asks Fujin.

"They are."

"Then what are we waiting for? Let's follow them."

"It's not that simple." Fury said.

"It never is with you." Rinoa whispers softly, but not soft enough for Fujin to not hear her.

She really doesn't want to get involved in this quarrel, but Rinoa is beginning to annoy her. This whole mess they are in isn't simple. Dealing with Sorceresses is _never_ simple. But how do you explain that to a spoiled-brat, daughter of a general, who hasn't seen any battle before today? She didn't know, and she doesn't want to try now. She has enough people she has to worry about, including her two best friends.

**=XXX=**

In the end they decided to leave the next day. After she had stopped the next fight between father and daughter Squall asks for a word with her. She agreed after she told the others they would leave in the morning, if they wanted to come with them. She neither had the energy nor the desire to talk the general out of coming with her and Squall. For some reason Rinoa follows Squall everywhere and Zell and Siri, she doesn't know if they will come tomorrow or not. Neither of them are fighters, but both of them are curious, and they've helped along so far.

Rinoa sits at the end of the bar, near the exit, so that Squall won't be able to leave without her.

Fujin doesn't care, as long as she won't be in the way.

"What does SeeD know that we don't?"

Of course Squall would figure out that she withheld information for the others. They weren't SeeD and she wouldn't share SeeD Intel to them. But Squall was different, they've worked together the last year and Fujin knows he would've made a good SeeD.

"You know Dr. Odine was responsible for the Lunatic Pandora accident, Seifer talked to an old friend of the doctor; before he went evil he bought a house in FH. He never used that house, before it was destroyed in the fire four years ago. But this Dobe told him that a section of the house survived, and that maybe some invention of Dr. Odine might still be there. I don't know about you, but I don't believe in coincident."

"Me neither, not anymore." Squall replied with a frown, deep in thought. "But why does he need the draw-point? He is no mage, he can't draw it right?"

"He wouldn't need it, but the Sorceress would."

"Why?"

"If I know, I'll tell you."

**=XXX=**

The next day they were on their way.

Fujin wasn't surprised when there were five people waiting for her, thus including their librarian pair. At least half of that party knew how to fight, apparently Zell is an excellent martial artist.

_Good. We're going to need all the strength that we can. _


	16. The Dreamer

**The Dreamer **

A dream or is it history?

There was a time when she didn't know the difference.

_At age four, after her parents died, she lived with Raine above the bar. _

There was a time when she didn't know if it was just a dream or if it was the past.

_At age six, after her foster-mom Raine died, she was sent to live in an orphanage, without her step-brother. _

There was a time when she woke up screaming after seeing dreams of the past.

_At age eleven, she wanted to leave Esthar and find her brother, but she couldn't leave Laguna, not after she finally found him again._

There was a time when she tried to try to change history.

But she isn't entirely sure this is not a dream.

**=XXX=**

Standing in the light-tower she has a great view of the great oceans below. The wind is blowing in her hair and in this moment she feels free.

A freedom that isn't to last.

She sees a boat, an Estharian boat, in the distance. It seems they need her for her powers again.

She can only hope they don't ask her again to change the history, she never has and she never will be able to do that.

**=XXX=  
><strong> 

To her relief her family is the only crew on the ship.

Smart uncle Kiros.

Sweet uncle Ward.

And secure uncle Laguna.

The family she couldn't leave behind to search for her brother when she was eleven. But back then she was also naive, to think she could find her brother whom she hadn't seen in five years and had no clue of where he was living with his aunt.

She rushes down to the beach and she gets there at the same time as her uncles.

"What are you doing here?" Is the first thing Ellone asks. For as far as she knows he should still be in Timber for the summit.

"You really should get a TV in this place." Kiros the smart_ass_ said. "We've got lots to discuss."

That could only mean one thing;

A new Sorceress has risen.

**=XXX=**

With the sand beneath her feet and her hair blowing in the wind, Ellone is staring in the deep blue ocean. All she can think about is what she has been missing while she was here.

The failed assassination on Laguna.

The bombing in Timber.

The new threat of another Sorceress.

Selphie and Irvine….

Spunky Selphy and naughty Irvy, she can't imagine those two children, war heroes from the last Sorceress War, are now their new enemy.

How did this all happen?

The last time she saw her friends from the Orphanage they were celebrating their victory on Sorceress Adel. While it was a only a celebration for the other SeeD's, for them it was also the time for mourning, to mourn their foster mother who had taken care of them for so long.

That was three years ago.

_How come so much time has already passed? _

**=XXX=**

"What do you want me to do?" Ellone asks, walking into the house. "That's why you're here, isn't it?"

"We don't want you to do anything Elle." Laguna said. "All we want is for you to be safe."

"I'm not going to hide again. If it's me the Sorceress is after then she can have me. I'm not letting anyone else fighting my battles again. Not anymore."

"For as far as we know she isn't after you, not yet at least. Dr. Ovine might be though." Kiros tries to calm Ellone down. "But that doesn't mean they won't go looking for you, they did last time."

Last time, when the Sorceress destroyed the town of FH because she taught Ellone was hiding there.

"That doesn't matter!" Ellone is walking through the kitchen, looking for something to eat, but finding none. "I'm still going to face her." Ellone said while slamming the cabinet.

"But-"

"No buts uncle Kiros." Ellone sighs before taking a seat next to Laguna. Laguna puts his hand on the table and Ellone intertwines their fingers. His pulse is calming her down. "There is something wrong. You know I always dream, and they are always dreams of the past, of the past of the people I know. But latterly I've seen glimpses of a something entirely different. A future, a _dark_ future. A floating castle in a dark cloudy sky, dead SeeD on the beach. A Sorceress who is queen in this castle in this place and time."

A shudder passes through Ellone. "I know it isn't a vision from the past. But if this is the future we've got to stop it."

The four of them sit in silence around the round table in the kitchen at the orphanage. Until it is broken by Laguna.

"And we will Elle."

"Together?"

"Together." Laguna amends. "I'll contact Cid."

**=XXX=**

Again she is on an Estharian boat, but this time she isn't alone and she isn't going to Esthar.

They are going to FH, were all her friends and family are gathering.

It seems the place that was destroyed because of her, is going to be the place for the final battle.

At least they hope this will finally be the final battle.

None of them can imagine they have to fight a fourth Sorceress War.

**=XXX=**

****The dark-haired woman is the first to spot them.

"Thank Hyne." She said while running towards them. "It's good to see you E!."

"You too Xu." Ellone said, returning the hug. "Although I hoped it wouldn't be under these circumstances again."

"Me too." A new voice said. Ellone turns around and a smile graces her face.

"Seifer!" Of course Ellone knew he was going to be here, but it has been a year since she saw him with Raijin and Fujin. One year ago, when she left Esthar for reasons she doesn't know anymore. "Raijin! Where's is Fujin?" She asks when she doesn't spot the grey-haired woman.

"She isn't her yet." Xu answers Ellone after making sure Laguna is truly okay. "She'll be here soon though, with Squall and General Fury Careway."

Ellone frowns at the mention of the General but ignores it for now.

The seven of them walk from the harbor towards a half-burned house, a blond woman is sitting with her back towards them, warming her hands by the fire.

Raijin takes Ellone's arm and leads her towards the fire, Ellone laughs at his antics and sits across of the blond woman.

The woman looks at her with her icy blue eyes.

Raijin is clearing his throat to introduce these two women when Ellone suddenly gasps,

"Quisty!?"

"Huh…d'you know her, ya know?"

Ellone sees flashes of herself and this young woman.

_She is inside the training centre in Balamb Garden. She is about to be attacked by a Grenaldo. Squall and this woman in a peach outfit safe her._

_In outer space, Squall and this woman take her to another woman she doesn't know. A beautiful young woman with dark raven hair. _

_They're in an escape pod. The blond woman, Piet and herself. They are crashing._

_She wakes up, both Piet and the blond are unconsciousness. A black boot is in her vision before it is all black._

_She is in the Lunatic Pandora. Laguna is encouraging her to use her powers. _"Ellone, now is your chance!" _The blond is looking at her worriedly, before the whole world changes in front of her eyes._

_She is in a car, heading towards Winhill, with her three uncles. She looks fondly at a picture in her lap. A picture of six teenagers; war heroes and friends who've saved the world together. And this Quisty is one of them. _

But those aren't memories of her own.

"Do I know you?" The blond woman, this Quisty, asks her bewildered.

"Yes….no…..I don't know."


	17. The Posse Part 2

**The Posse Part 2**

Raijin did catch up with Seifer and Xu in no time. After being introduced to Quistis Trepe, the party of four made their way towards FH on foot.

It was a long walk along the abandoned railroad; it also had a lot to do with the silence that surrounds them.

The realization that they are fighting another Sorceress, shortly after the last one, is hard to take in.

And to be fighting against a family member again is only making it worse.

He knows that's what the SeeD are thinking about and he can guess where the fourth member of their party is thinking about, the bomb in Timber. While he knows she isn't to blame, he understands why she feels responsible for all the deaths. He doesn't try to ease her guilt, Raijin knows if their roles were reserved he wouldn't want to hear that either. So he keeps quiet, and the four of them walk in silence to the destroyed town of FH. The former hometown of Quistis Trepe and residency of a Dr. Odine.

**=XXX=**

It's around dinner when they arrive in FH. While the SeeD are setting up camp on the outskirts of the town Quistis is heading inside the town and they let her wander through her former home- town. There is no danger here, and if there is they are sure she can handle herself.

One hour later the camp is ready and the three SeeD are sitting around the fire cooking their dinner and discussing their plans for the next day after Xu had finished her call with the Headmaster.

"Fujin and Squall will be here tomorrow, ya know."

"And Laguna will be here soon." Xu added. "Ellone is coming with them."

"Ellone? Why? I thought Laguna was going to get her to safety, not in the middle of it."

"They didn't say, ya know." Raijin shrugs while tasting his almost burned marshmallow.

"He only told Cid it was important she was here." Xu said. "And Fujin called to let him know there is a huge draw-point near here. It used to be on an island that has sunk since then. But they believe the Sorceress is looking for that draw-point, which they believe is the _ultimate draw-point._"

"For what reason?" Quistis asks while she joins the three SeeD. "What could she do with a draw-point?"

"We're not sure." Xu answers. "But we believe that if she uses this _ultimate_ draw-point she will become unstoppable."

"But you did stop the Sorceress last time, how?"

Raijin isn't surprised when Xu tells her, although that mission has been labeled top-secret and isn't accessible to anyone outside the highest members in SeeD, it doesn't matter anymore if it stays secret or not. Not if they won't win.

Xu told Quistis about how they fought inside the Lunatic Pandora, and how they had to defeat Edea. She also told her that her powers were (or so they believed) transferred to Adel who was still unconsciousness inside.

"So the powers always transfer to another woman, another Sorceress?"

"Yes." The three SeeD said at the same time.

It's a never ending battle.

**=XXX=**

Raijin is the first to hear the honk of the boat, "I think Ellone is here, ya know!"

"Let's go." Xu said while dragging Seifer with her and following Raijin towards the old harbor.

The boat is approaching them slowly and Raijin is hopping from foot to foot.

Xu is the first to see them standing on the boot, "Thank Hyne," she said while running towards them. "It's good to see you E!"

"You too Xu." Ellone said, returning the hug. "Although I hoped it wouldn't be under these circumstances again."

"Me too." Seifer said.

"Seifer! Raijin! Where's is Fujin?"

"She isn't her yet." Xu answers Ellone after making sure Laguna is truly okay. "She'll be here soon, with Squall and General Fury Careway."

Raijin shoulders Ellone's back and together they go towards their camp where Quistis is waiting.

Realizing that Ellone en company hadn't met Quistis yet Raijin is clearing his throat to introduce her to Ellone when she suddenly gasps, "Quisty!?"

"Huh…d'you know her, ya know?"

"Do I know you?" Quistis asks her bewildered.

"Yes….no…..I don't know." 

**=XXX=  
><strong> 

While Raijin was confused, Laguna was shocked. "What do you mean Ell? You don't know. She is Timper PD. She lived in FH. Maybe you've seen her there."

"No," Ellone said, glancing at Quistis. "I'm sorry about what happened to FH."

Quistis shrugs the apology away and Raijin is glad, he isn't ready to open that can of worms today.

Ellone explains her powers to Quistis, the only one present who doesn't know about them, and the glimpses of another past where Quistis was part of.

Raijin is more confused after this realization. Another past? What was happening here?

**=XXX=**

Before they had a chance to discuss this new discovery the last of their party had arrived.

Fujin, Squall and Fury Careway he knew. Zell, Siri and Rinoa were introduced before the discussion of the plan began.

No…wait…, not for the plan but rather the leadership in this mission.

With the civilians (Zell, Siri, Rinoa, Quistis and Ellone) sitting around the campfire, talking softly along each other. The others are standing in the shadow of the destroyed house of Dr. Odine.

With a president and a General in their ranks, both stubborn man, and Xu the highest ranking SeeD the three of them never stopped bickering before help at an unexpected direction arrived.

Cid Kramer, Headmaster of Balamb Garden, father figure to Raijin and to so many more.

He stands in the middle of the three leaders and announces proudly, "We know how to stop the Sorceress and destroy her powers."

**=XXX=**

One shocking revelation after the other, Raijin is feeling like he is on a rollercoaster ride. He thought the last time they had to fight was worse, this time it's three times as bad.

It was way past midnight when they decided to get some sleep for the night. While it wasn't his time to keep watch yet, he couldn't sleep. He was walking around town, not too far away from the camp, and thinking about how they could destroy the Sorceress' power.

Not Selphie's, they all kept quiet about the fact that the Sorceress' power is now residing in their sister.

Cid had told them that; "W_hile Edea was the Sorceress, she tried to destroy the ultimate draw-point, knowing the power it has. It has the potential to destroy this world, but it can also be used to destroy an energy source like the powers of a Sorceress. With an accessory known as the Odine Bangle we can suppress the powers of the Sorceress. That accessory must be here according to Dobe."_

Together with Seifer he had found the Bangle, the golden accessory with a blue gem in the middle of it.

"_But what of the draw point?" Xu had pointed out. "Why would she need that?"_

"_I'm still not sure." Cid had replied while cleaning his glasses. "But I'd rather not find out if I'm right."_

While he didn't like it, he understood why Cid still keeps secrets. He knows that if it's important Cid will tell them.

Raijin relieves Ward from his duties and keeps checking the eastern border, the way towards Esthar.

Turning around a corner he sees Quistis sitting on the docks. He decides to join her for a moment and sits down next to her.

"Do you think we can save Selphie?" She asks after some time.

Of course, Raijin only now realizes that Selphie and Quistis have become friends since she left Garden. Does that mean that Quistis has befriended the Sorceress? No point breaking your head over that one. "I've got to believe so. She's my little sister."

Before Quistis can respond, they here a sound from the east side of the town, the other direction then were there camp is. Communicating with their eyes and hands they walk slowly to the origin of the sound. Raijin feels Quistis stiffening next to him. The voices are coming from the Mayor's house, Quistis' former house.

He can hear voices.

Three voices.

Two sound familiar.

One doesn't.

He turns the final corner and he sees them.

Dr. Odine, Irvine and Selphie.

The Sorceress is here!

"Finally you've come," the Sorceress said.


	18. The Innocent

**The Innocent**

****She loves the snow. She should, otherwise she wouldn't really like the place where she lives. In Trabia the snow is everlasting.

_I'll be here._

She also loves the sand. Her parents were traveling south from the Timber region until she got to the desert on the eastside of the Cetra-continent. Here her love for the sand and heat, so unlike the weather in her birthplace, grew.

_Why?_

An accident cost her parents her live. An old couple found her wandering the dessert alone. They brought her to the Orphanage ran by the Kramer's.

_I'll be 'waiting'… here…_

She enjoyed her time at the Orphanage. She had friends and a family. But like all good thing in life it didn't last.

_For what?_

She was send back to Trabia. She had a nice adoptive family, but it wasn't her family. So when she was the right age she went to Trabia Garden.

_I'll be waiting for…you…so._

Her sunny attitude helped in making lots of friends. She had a really good time during the first years of training.

_If you come here…_

That all changed when Sorceress Edea fled to Trabia.

_You'll find me._

They fought inside the Lunatic Pandora against Edea. They won, or so they thought.

_I promise._

**She would lure them all to this place.**

**=XXX=**

She remembers a time, she was at a light house and she wasn't alone. Irvine, Seifer, Fujin, Raijin, Nida, they were all there. And someone else was there too, someone they all called Sis.

But those memories are fading in time.

Sometimes she wakes up and she doesn't know how she came to where she is. There are gaps in her memories which she doesn't know how to fill.

That's why she left Garden; she fears that she will hurt her friends if she stays.

Other times it's like she is watching through a glass of water. She has no control of her body but she can see what she is doing. That feeling is heart wrenching.

She feels like a puppet, a marionette. Someone is pulling her strings and she can't help it.

The last few days, weeks even, were worse than before.

Normally she only misses a few hours, a day at the most, but now?

She remembers trying to warn Quistis of the bomb.

"_Get out of here," Selphie said to Quistis._

"_I have to protect the mayor."_

"_Get out of here," Selphie repeats but Quistis won't hear it. _

Then a period of nothing. A blank world were her spirit is running madly. Until she hears a soft voice.

"_What have you done Selphie? What is wrong with you?"_

_Slowly Selphie turns her head and her lips are moving, like she is trying to speak, but no sound comes out. Shocked Quistis takes one step back and Irvine uses this moment to speed away. _

_As in an afterthought Quistis shoots at the tires of the van, but to no avail. They are gone._

The next time she saw something through the ripples in the water she was in FH, Irvine was at her side.

_An odd figure was rushing towards her._

_She said something to him, but the voice she hears is not her own. _

"_Finally you're here," she said to him in a sultry voice._

And now she hears that same strange voice again coming from her own mouth. 

"**Finally you've come," **the Sorceress said.

**=XXX=**

The blank world is slowly disappearing. Sound and sight return to her slowly.

She knows she hasn't control of her body yet (which scares the hell out of her) but she can see what is happening around her.

What she didn't expect to see is Raijin and Quistis together. Two important persons in her life, one before and one after the war.

Are they here to save her? Save her by killing her, she hopes so. But will her powers than transfer to somebody else? She doesn't want anybody else to life with this same curse.

She can imagine how Edea would have felt during their fight in the Lunatic Pandora. This feeling of losing control over your own body is not something she thought could happen to anyone. She never believed that a person could be possessed, not even when they knew that their enemy was their Matron.

But now…..now she knows.

Her hands move from their position folded position in front of her to her sides. She can feel magic energy gathering in her hands, but she can't stop it.

_NO! Don't do this! Don't hurt them! Please!_

She pleads, but nobody hears her.

**=XXX=**

Empty, she doesn't feel anything.

No emotions, but also no powers.

What is happening?

Slowly she opens her eyes, and they open on her own account.

_I'm free?_

She looks around, and now she wishes she had kept her eyes closed.

If she taught Timber was chaos, then this is destruction!


	19. The President's Aide

**The President's Aide **

One advantage of being in politics? Kiros can sleep anywhere, anytime.

So he has no trouble sleeping in the cold FH night, and that is good because he's going to need all the rest he can get. He knows he isn't that young anymore and he can't measure his fighting skills with these youngsters, but he won't abandon his duty; not then and certainly not now.

At dawn he is the first to wake up; his body is accustomed to wake up at dawn. He yawns and stretches and he notices that two people are missing from their group: Raijin and Quistis.

Raijin is probably just walking the perimeter; he did have the last watch which is now, but Quistis? He doesn't know. He doesn't know her, only by reputation. Her name is well known with the federal agencies, in a positive way. They all want to recruit her but she has declined all their offers, or so he heard. Maybe after this is over he'll ask.

And then he can also ask why she appears in Ellone's dream.

He's by no way an expert on Ell's powers, but even he knows she can't dream about people she doesn't know, she can't look into their past's.

But how come she knows Quistis Trepe, Timber PD and former residence of this town? Yesterday they've asked but the two women have never been in the same place before until now.

Still so many questions to which they don't have answers.

Like how they can use the powers of the _ultimate_ draw-point and the Odine Bangle to destroy the powers of the Sorceress.

Hopefully they'll get some answers today.

And hopefully they'll all be alive when they do.

**=XXX=**

One by one the group wakes up, and still Quistis and Raijin haven't returned.

Kiros' famous guts start churning and he walks to Seifer whom is standing guard at the western end of town, close-by their camp.

"Have you seen Quistis or Raijin?" He asks by greeting.

"No, I haven't." Seifer replied with knotted eye-brows. "Rai's supposed to be guarding the eastern exit right now."

"I know, he did take the next watch after Ward…..I'll guess I'll just look then."

"Take someone with you!" Seifer all but ordered.

He did hear the concern for their friend in his tone, even though Seifer tried to cover it.

"I will."

**=XXX=**

He took Squall with him. In a hushed conversation he told him what was happening, without warning the others around them.

Maybe it was nothing. Maybe his gut feeling was wrong and these two young people were just doing whatever young people do in their own time.

Kiros has eyes, Quistis is a beautiful woman and if he was younger he would have persuade her himself. But alas, he isn't and Raijin isn't bad looking either.

But could they risk not checking? Even if they would catch them with the horizontal limbo? He thought not.

So while he sends Squall towards the Mayor's home he himself went towards the docks.

And there is where he found them.

And it was anything but a lover's embrace the two were entangled in.

**=XXX=**

Kiros blinks.

Quistis is chocking the life out of Raijin. Her thin but strong hand is holding Raijin's large body centimeters from the ground. Holding him by his throat he can see the bruises forming already!

Kiros blinks, again.

_That's impossible!_

He's rooted on the spot.

He hears a soft groan from his left, a whimper. Almost like a warning.

A warning that came too late.

A flash of brown fills his eyes.

He feels the rifle connect to the back of his head.

Then everything he sees is black.

**=XXX=**

Kiros wakes up with a headache.

But that is not the worst of his problems.

He isn't in FH anymore.

None of them are.

They're on a beach. He can hear the water hit the shore but he doesn't see the ocean.

It's like they are in the middle of a tornado,

He sees wooden poles, fifteen of them, which form a large circle around a glowing energy point.

And if he's seeing correctly, which is hard with his pounding headache and his troubled sight, he sees all their friends changed with heavy chains on those three-meter high wooden poles.

Everyone except Irvine, Dr. Odine, Selphie and Quistis.

While Selphie is lying on the ground next to him, the other three have circled around the energy point.

Instead of focusing on them, like the rest of his chained friends do, he checks on Selphie. She's lying slightly behind him so he is the only one who has a clear view of her.

He is relieved that he can see her breathing, but the question remains if Selphie is herself again.

There is no doubt in his mind that Quistis has somehow become a sorceress. But did she get her powers from Selphie or from somebody else?

Only one way to find out.

Thankfully Selphie choose this moment to regain consciousness.

Horrified, Kiros notices her blank look. The same look he has seen in Edea's eyes only once, before they had to kill her. But to his relief the green sparkling eyes of Selphie take over and Kiros can see when Selphie has regained full control of her own body again.

She blinks twice and a gasp of horror leaves her lips.

"Quiet Selphie," Kiros demands with a quiet tone so that the other won't hear them.

Hearing a familiar voice seems to calm Selphie down.

"Kiros?" She replied so soft he can barely hear her. "What's happening?"

Indeed, what is happening? He doesn't know what had happened after he was knocked out either.

"What's the last you remember?" He asks instead.

"Well…I saw Raijin and Quistis. She told them: 'Finally, you've come'. I don't know what that means, but the Sorceress inside of me tried to hurt them after she said that. I tried so hard to stop her, but I couldn't! She had me under total control…. "

Selphie rambled, softly, before taking a large breath.

Kiros looks around, it's almost like the time stood still. Everyone is still looking towards Quistis- the Sorceress, and ignores them.

"….and suddenly I'm free. I blacked out, until just now.

So, she doesn't know anything either?

Kiros' gaze lingers only for a second longer on Selphie; while she isn't tied down like the rest of them, she is still too weak to do anything right now. His gaze shifts over to Quistis. Her long blond hair turns almost grey.

No, her hair doesn't turn grey, there is someone standing behind her. Almost through her, it's like the form of this grey-haired woman is shimmering right through Quistis.

Who is she?


	20. The Sorceress

**The Sorceress**

Ultimecia is her name.

But no one knows her by that name.

They all call her Sorceress, Queen or Mistress.

No, there are none alive that know her name now, neither her true name nor one of her monikers. But was there ever?

There was one woman who knew her true name. But she is long gone.

Edea Kramer, Sorceress and founder of Garden.

Killed by her foster-children.

And for what? The Sorceress powers just transferred to the next vessel.

The next vessel for her to use.

And so the cycle goes on and on.

**=XXX=**

_"...SeeD... SeeD...SeeD... SeeD, SeeD, SeeD! Kurse all SeeDs. Swarming like lokusts across generations. You disgust me. The world was on the brink of that ever-elusive 'time kompression'. Insolent fools! Your vain krusade ends here, SeeDs. The price for your meddling is death beyond death. I shall send you to a dimension beyond your imagining. There, I will reign, and you will be my slaves for eternity. HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA. Whom shall I exterminate first!? I'll start with you three! Squall, Quistis and Zell!"__**  
><strong>_

_"I am Ultimecia. Time shall compress...All existence denied. "Reflect on your... Childhood..._

_Your sensation... Your words... Your emotions...Time... It will not wait...No matter... ...how hard you hold on. It escapes you..."_

_"And..."_

**=XXX=**

Not that same dream again!

The dream where those filthy SeeD destroy her?

Not again. She would do anything to prevent that dream from ever happening.

She would change history.

**=XXX=**

A spell, that was all that she would need. Her voice chants through the empty halls of her palace.

"_Wake up from your dream, my children. _

_There is no cradle. _

_Wake up from your dreams, fated children. _

_The dream is not going._

_Arise. _

_Discover the truth of the Garden._

_Burn with truth _

_Scorch the world of evil. _

_Burn with truth _

_Set fire to the world of darkness._

_Goodbye, children, _

_From the days of destiny."_

She is out of breath, Ultimecia feels light-headed before she faints.

**=XXX=**

She wakes up and a lot of things have changed.

The three SeeD she fought against (and lost) in her dreams are no part of Balamb Garden, or any other Garden.

Most of the heroes are spread around the world.

And her new reign starts there, in the history she has changed.

**=XXX=**

She works more slowly this time, takes her time to plan every little detail. She will not lose (again).

That's how she found out about this strong energy point, but she couldn't find it in her own time. She found some plans about a machine that could transport someone back in time. She builds the machine and used it to travel back in time.

She traveled back in the time, to the time where Sorceress Adel reigned.

Time to put all of her plans in action.

But her first time back was cut short; it seems the machine had its limits after all.

She found out, through trial and error, that how farther back in time she went, the smaller amount of times she could control the Sorceress of that time.

After that first time she went back not far enough, she was now in control of Sorceress Edea.

Eighteen years after the reign of Adel. Adel was gone and this new Sorceress was peaceful, _ugh!_

She tried to go back to the time of Adel, but she couldn't.

Another limit of the machine, another setback.

This required more planning.

**=XXX=**

And today, she has finally found the ultimate-draw-point.

But she wasn't in the right vessel. While this woman was strong in her magic, she wasn't strong enough. Or rather, she misses something vital for her to be able to draw this power.

And then she found her, the Blue Mage. The strongest magic caster alive, although she herself didn't know that.

She left one vessel for the other, the Sorceress powers went with her.

She can feel new magic flow through her veins.

_Maybe I shouldn't have killed all the Blue Mages?_

It doesn't matter. She has control of this power now and she wastes no time. The Sleep-spell has worked perfectly. Everyone she has lured to this place is now in her control. An ancient spell of Warp helps her transport everyone to the island she has found, to lost island of Ultima.

Her knight, Irvine, and the doctor make themselves useful. All fifteen people are chained and won't be able to interfere.

_Perfect._

She stands next to the glowing sphere of pure energy. She can feel it sizzle in the air.

This is the power which she needs, the same powers Edea tried to destroy.

Thankfully she could stop her before Edea succeeded.

Sadly it delayed her plans for some time.

But none of that matter now, not when she is so close.

She feels her hand moving on her own accord, and for a moment Ultimecia has to fight an inner battle with the Blue Mage. But she is a powerful Sorceress and Quistis doesn't stand a change.

When she has her vessel under control again she tries to draw this enormous energy.

Like always there is someone who has to try and stop her. Just another spider for her to step on.

Later maybe, she wants to hear what this man has to say to her. The man she had hurt the most. The man she hates for creating SeeD.

"I know who you are!" He accuses.

"Hmph. Is that so?"

"I know what you mean to do and you will fail. Just like you've failed any other time."

What is he talking about? Ultimecia hasn't failed, yes she made some mistakes but she has _never _failed.

"Humor me, human." She purrs, stalking over to where Cid is chained.

Cid looks around, to all of his friends and family, before he looks her straight in the eye.

"We've defeated you before, and we will do so now!"

"How?" Ultimecia laughs at his ridicule's claim. "I have the upper hand now, if you hadn't noticed yet!"

What does it feel good to mock these pests!

Cid takes another breath and Ultimecia has to stop herself from killing him right there.

_He's so annoying!_

Cid turns his gaze from her and screams to the others around him, "It doesn't matter in what universe we are. You'll always find each other, and each time you've saved the world." 

Ultimecia doesn't know what he is talking about.

Nor will she ever know.

She had turned her back towards the glowing sphere; she didn't have to fear these humans while they were in chains.

But she made one fatal mistake.

Three people weren't chained.

Dr. Odine, the human doctor that worships Sorceresses. He wouldn't dare to hurt her.

Selphie, her previous vessel. She could barely breath when she left her.

And Irvine, her knight. Who would do anything for her.

Her mistake you ask?

Irvine wasn't her knight, he wasn't Quistis' knight.

Selphie wasn't as weak as she pretended.

Together the both of them redeemed themselves for their part in the Timber debacle.

Selphie had the Odine bangle wrapped around her, around Quistis' wrist. Irvine in the meantime had freed Ellone who waste no time to use her powers on Ultimecia.

She is send back to the future, to the still and empty castle she calls home.

And she has to agree with Cid.

There hasn't been a universe where she was able to defeat the Liberty Fatali.

But like the powers of the Sorceress, this cycle does also continue endlessly.

Maybe she will defeat them next time.


End file.
